Collection  of  American  literature 


IJcqucntlicli  to 


®t)e  ILibrarp  o 
i^ortl 


"He  gave  back 
receivi 

Cairns    r 
"Bob 


the  Conf 
It  is  pi 

on  the  oc 
ters  of  th 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

LIBRARY 


THE  WILMER  COLLECTION 

OF  CIVIL  WAR  NOVELS 

PRESENTED  BY 

RICHARD  H.  WILMER,  JR. 


hers  as  a 
is  written 
ustrations 
every  part 
jghters  of 


d  Daugh- 
r  8,  1899. 


TlftS^OOK  ftia?,|^rat    out    TWO 
WEE^3lt>i^Y,   and^'W^ject  to  a  fine 
of  FIVE  CENTS  a  day  thereafter,     ft  wao  -. 
taken  out  on  the  dav  iin.licated  below: 


f\ug'iO 


d& 


"BOBBIE" 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2010  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://www.archive.org/details/bobbieOObosh 


He  leaned  against  tlie  tree  througli  utter  ireaknex 
^See  page  128) 


BY 

KATE 
CAIRNS 


Presses  of  B.  F.  Johnson  Publishing  Co  , 
Richmond,  Virginia  : 

iSgg. 


Copyright  1899 

HY 

Kate  Cairns. 


Illustrated  by  M.  M.  Dashiell. 


IN  MEMOR  Y 

OF 

THE  DA  YS  THA  T  ARE  NO  MORE. 

«,?*    t,^     (^* 


You  see  Ms  ?  "  she  said. 
(See  page  15) 


**B^BB/£^^ 


'^^-' 


CHAPTER  I. 

tC\E  always  said  he  never  knew  which 
was  worse,  his  name  or  his  nose  ; 
but,  as  he  could  get  rid  of  neither, 
he  accepted  both  in  his  own  bright, 
happy  way,  and  that  ended  the  matter  with  him. 
Peter  Black  had  given  him  the  name  of  Mars' 
Bobbie  to  distinguish  him  from  Mars'  Robert,  his 
father,  and  it  seemed  to  fit  so  exactly  and  suit  so 
well  his  cheery,  lovable  little  self  as  a  baby,  and 
later  as  a  boy,  and  even  on  to  young  manhood, 
that  no  one  thought  of  calling  him  anything  else, 
or  loved  any  other  name  half  so  well  for  him. 

He  was  such  a  lonor  time  in  cominof,  he  used  to 
say  laughingly,    that  when   he   did   get  here   his 


"  Bobbie." 

parents  and  friends  and  relatives,  together  with 
all  the  negroes  on  the  plantation,  thought  he 
was  going  to  be  something  extra  ;  and  then  to  be 
called  ''Bobbie J'  and  to  have  a  broken  nose,  was 
so  hurtful  to  his  vanity  that,  after  thinking  the 
matter  over,  he  settled  it  by  deciding  that  never 
again  would  he  allow  the  subject  to  enter  his 
mind,  with  the  result  that  he  became  more  lov- 
able and  loving  than  ever,  and  the  secret  of  the 
charm  all  lay  in  the  decision  about  his  nose  and 
name — he  never  thought  of  himself,  but  always  of 
every  one  else  first ;  and  that  is  why  he  was  so 
loved — he  was  so  brave  and  true  and  honest  and 
glad  always. 

"White  Point,"  where  he  was  born,  was  the 
centre  of  the  Rockland  district ;  and  while  the 
neighborhood  in  that  section  of  the  country  was 
tolerably  well  settled,  still  the  "quality  folks" 
were  not  very  numerous,  and  in  a  radius  of  some 
twenty  miles  there  were  scarcely  half  a  dozen 
families  that  kept  up  any  kind  of  an  establishment. 
Consequently,    with    the    exception    of     "Grey 


"  Bobbie." 

Cliffs" — Dr.  Trevillian's  place — "White  Point" 
stood  alone  for  a  synonym  of  all  that  was  grand 
and  elegant,  and  as  a  gathering  place  for  all  the 
"  bus  heads  "  of  the  neiehborino-  counties,  as  well 
as  many  cities. 

Over  two  hundred  slaves  were  owned  by  the 
master,  and  the  stables  were  reckoned  the  finest 
in  the  State,  for  the  stock  included  many  animals 
of  well-known  and  enviable  records.  There  was 
a  private  race-track  at  one  end  of  the  plantation,  and 
when  at  the  spring  and  fall  meets  the  neighbors 
from  his  own  and  adjoining  counties  met  at 
Mars'  Robert  Tayloe's,  there  were  times  to  be 
remembered,  and  good  old  times  they  were  ! 

The  gentlemen  brought  their  own  horses  and 
dogs,  and  in  the  morning  after  breakfast  it  was  no 
unusual  sight  to  see  fifty  or  more  blooded  animals 
brought  out  by  the  stable  boys  and  walked  up  and 
down  for  the  inspection  and  discussion  of  the  gen- 
tlemen who  had  come  down  to  see  their  favorites  ; 
and  it  was  owing  to  one  of  these  occasions  that 
Bobbie  made  his  nose  immortal. 


"  Bobbie." 

Though  his  eighth  birthday  had  not  yet  been 
reached,  he  knew  every  detail  of  stable  matters  to 
what  his  mother  thought  an  alarming  degree,  and 
the  ambition  of  his  life  was  to  oret  astride  a  race 
horse.  Never  had  he  been  allowed  that  privilege, 
though  he  had  ridden  bareback  everything  else  on 
the  place  ;  and  when  he  heard  his  father  discuss- 
ino-,  the  nitrht  before  the  hiQ-  race,  the  relative 
merits  of  his  special  pride — Dare  Devil — as  com- 
pared with  Major  Dalyrimple's  Lady  Virginia,  he 
could  stand  it  no  longer,  and  he  crept  out  to  look 
for  Peter  Black. 

Had  Bobbie  known  what  an  a//er  co-o  was,  he 
would  have  said  that  Peter  Black  was  it  ;  for  one 
was  the  substance,  the  other  the  shadow  ;  and 
when  Bobbie  was  wanted  Peter  Black  was  een- 
erally  called. 

By  right  of  birth  he  really  belonged  to  Sallie 
Tom,  Bobbie's  mammy  ;  but  for  all  other  intents 
and  purposes  he  was  owned  body  and  soul  by  little 
Mars'  Bobbie,  to  whom  Mars'  Robert  had  given 
him  on  the  morning  of  the  great  day  when  the 

12 


"Bobbie." 

little  master  "  done  come."  The  bie  master  had 
made  him  creep  softly  in  the  missus'  beautiful 
room,  and  had  shown  him  the  new  wonder,  and 
told  him  that  he  was  to  belong  to  him  hereafter, 
and  that  he  must  always  be  very  careful,  and  never 
let  any  harm  come  to  him  ;  and  Peter  Black  had 
promised  solemnly,  and  walked  out  of  the  room 
as  one  one  would  come  out  of  a  holy  place,  and 
no  king  on  his  coronation  day  was  ever  half  so 
proud  as  he. 

Sallie  Tom,  his  mother,  was  present  at  this 
installation  into  office,  and  she  tried  hard  to  con- 
ceal the  pride  she  felt  at  the  selection  of  the  little 
marsa's  body  servant.  She  said  no  word  at  the 
time,  but  when  she  got  down  to  her  cabin  she  put 
Peter  Black  on  a  chair  and  had  a  conversation  with 
him. 

Peter  was  her  one  and  only  offspring,  and 
though  she  loved  him  very  much  in  her  own 
peculiar  way,  it  was  something  very  different  from 
the  absolute  idolatry  she  had  for  her  master  and 
mistress,  and  now  for  the  little  stranger  that  for  ten 

13 


"  Bobbie." 

long  years  she  had  hoped  and  prayed  would 
come  to  fill  the  sore  need  of  a  child  up  in  the  big 
house. 

There  was  a  strain  of  Indian  blood  somewhere 
in  Sallie  Tom,  it  was  thought,  and  the  rest  of  the 
negroes  were  far  more  afraid  than  fond  of  her. 
They  declared  she  "  cungered  "  them,  and  some 
would  have  nothinor  to  do  with  her  ;  and  for  that 
reason,  though  the  best  worker  on  the  place,  she 
had  been  put  in  the  house  by  her  mistress.  At 
the  birth  of  the  baby  she  had  been  installed  as 
nurse-in-chief,  and  from  that  hour  she  ruled  as 
despot  of  the  nursery  kingdom. 

In  more  ways  than  one  did  she  assert  her  Indian 
peculiarities.  No  one  knew  for  certain  that  she 
possessed  a  drop  of  such  blood  ;  but  her  hate 
once  aroused  was  implacable,  and  her  devotion 
once  eiven  was  as  intense  as  it  was  endurinor  and 
genuine. 

After  the  birth  of  the  baby  Sallie  Tom  moved 
up  into  the  house  altogether,  but  she  was  still 
allowed  to  retain  her  cabin,  and  there  Peter  Black 

14 


"  Bobbie  " 

slept  at  night,  and  there  in  her  hours  of  recreation 
or  investigation  she  went  to  look  after  her  private 
matters  and  to  see  that  all  things  continued  in 
their  usual  spotless  condition. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  day  that  made  Peter 
Black  henceforth  the  property  of  the  few-hours-old 
heir,  Sallie  Tom  interviewed  her  offspring  as  to 
the  responsibilities  and  obligations  now  resting 
upon  him  as  a  body  servant ;  and  if  at  the  end  of 
the  interview  Peter  Black  failed  to  understand  what 
he  was  to  be  and  to  do,  it  was  because  he  was 
only  six  years  old.  and  not  yet  equal  to  taking 
life  altogether  seriously. 

One  thing,  however,  he  fully  appreciated,  and 
that  was  the  old  horsehair  whip  that  hung  near 
the  chimney  corner.  Sallie  Tom  took  it  down 
and  shook  it  out  in  the  air. 

"You  see  dis?"  she  said,  as  she  arose  from 
her  seat  to  go  back  to  the  house.  "  You  see  dis 
heah,  Peter  Black?  Mars'  Robert  told  you  to-day 
dat  you  b'long  to  de  little  marsa,  now,  and  so  you 
does.     Yo'  foots  is  to  run  for  him,  yo'  ban's  is  to 

15 


"  Bobbie." 

work  for  him,  yo'  tongue  is  to  talk  up  for  him,  yo' 
eyes  is  to  look  out  for  him  ;  but  you  b'long  to  me, 
too,  Peter  Black,  and  when  yo'  foots  don't  run, 
and  yo'  hands  don't  work,  and  yo'  eyes  don't  see, 
and  you  gets  to  any  foolin',  den  me  and  dis  heah 
frien'  of  yourn  will  hav  suppin'  to  say  to  you, 
Peter  Black,  and  now  go  long  wid  you,"  and 
Sallie  Tom  turned  and  threw  her  arms  around 
him  and  hugged  him  passionately,  and  then  sent 
him  out  to  play. 

From  the  day  of  his  induction  into  office  Peter 
Black  never  gave  cause  for  any  regret  as  to  his 
selection.  His  idolatry  of  his  little  master  was 
almost  pathetically  absurd.  It  was  he  who  called 
him  Mars'  Bobbie,  the  day  he  crowed  so  lustily 
in  his  face,  and  the  name  seemed  to  fit  so  well 
the  rollicking,  laughing,  happy  little  soul  that  it 
just  stayed,  and  no  one  wanted  it  changed.  When 
he  first  began  to  crawl,  it  was  over  Peter  Black's 
back,  and  Peter's  was  the  only  hand  he  would 
touch  when  he  tried  to  make  his  first  steps,  and 
almost  before  he  could  call   his  mother  he  would 

i6 


"Bobbie." 

cry  for  "  B'  Bac,"  and  "  B'  Bac "  was  always 
there. 

On  up  through  the  days  of  infancy  the  com- 
radeship continued  to  grow,  and  though  Bobbie's 
was  the  imperious  one  of  babyhood,  he  loved 
Peter  Black  better  than  anything  on  earth,  and 
shared  faithfully  every  piece  of  cake  or  candy 
that  was  eiven  him,  and  it  was  clue  to  this  abso- 
lute  and  complete  submission  to  his  will  that  Peter 
Black  let  his  young  master  have  his  way  about  the 
horses,  an  induleence  which  resulted  in  Bobbie's 
broken  nose.  When  the  latter  crept  out  of  his 
room  the  night  before  the  big  race  he  made  Peter 
Black  promise  to  wake  him  up  the  next  morning 
at  4  o'clock.  "  Pm  not  going  to  tell  you  what 
for,"  said  Bobbie,  "  but  you  wake  me  up;"  and 
Peter  Black  did  as  he  was  bidden. 

Together  they  crept  through  the  house  and 
down  to  the  stables,  and  then  Bobbie  told  his 
plans,  "  Major  Dalyrimple  said  last  night  he 
know'd  Lady  Virginia  was  a-going  to  beat  the 
whole  place,  and  I  know  there  ain't  a  horse  in  the 

17 


"  Bobbie." 

world  that  can  beat  my  father's  Dare  Devil,  and 
I  just  want  to  tell  him  so,  and  I'm  going  to  try 
and  see.  You  must  get  on  Lady  Virginia  and  I 
will  ride  Dare  Devil  ;  and  don't  let's  have  any 
saddles,   'cause  my  feet  don't  touch." 

They  almost  ran  as  they  talked,  and  it  was  in 
vain  that  Peter  Black  protested  and  begged  his 
little  master  not  to  do  so  dreadful  a  thing  ;  but 
Bobbie's  blood  was  up,  and  words  had  no  effect. 
They  opened  the  stable  and  led  out  their  favorites 
to  the  track,  and  slipped  up  on  their  backs. 
"  Now,  when  I  count  three  you  let  her  go,  and 
you  make  her  oo,  'cause  I  don't  want  to  win  easy. 
If  I  come  back  here  first,  /  beat ;  if  you  first,  then 
I'll  tell  father  it's  no  use.  Now,  listen.  One, 
two  " — Bobbie's  voice  trembled  with  excitement — 
"  three  !  " — and  they  were  off. 


CHAPTER  II. 

HEY  said  afterward  that  the  big  race 
wasn't  half  so  exciting  as  this  one, 
witnessed  by  an  unexpected  audi- 
ence. They  had  hardly  mounted 
their  horses  and  gotten  under  way  before  several 
of  the  stable  boys  and  the  visiting  grooms  were 
rushing  wildly  to  the  track.  The  horses  had  been 
missed  at  once,  and  already  up  to  the  house  the 
message  had  been  sent  that  Mars'  Bobbie  and 
Peter  Black  were  racing. 

Hardly  waiting  to  slip  on  their  clothes,  down 
came  Mr.  Tayloe  and  Dr.  Trevillian,  followed  by 
some  three  or  four  of  the  gentlemen  guests  and 
numerous  servants,  all  making  madly  for  the  race 
track. 

Both  children  could  be  distinctly  seen,  though 
now  half  way  round  the  bend,  and  breathlessly 
the  men  stood  and  watched.      Mr.  Tayloe' s  face 

ig 


"Bobbie." 

was  deathly  white,  and  his  hands  shook  as  he 
grasped  the  gate-post  at  the  entrance  to  the  track. 
The  rest,  however,  had  forgotten  who  were  on 
the  horses.  It  was  a  race  that  they  were  watch- 
ing, and  so  intense  was  the  interest  that  they 
almost  held  their  breath  as  a^ain  the  children 
appeared  in  sight,  for  neck  and  neck  they  were 
going  now.  Both  horses  were  being  ridden  at 
break-neck  speed.  All  sense  of  servant  and 
master  was  forgotten  in  Peter  Black's  and  Bob- 
bie's minds;  it  was  a  race  to  win,  and  all  else  save 
winning  was  driven  out.  Nearer  and  nearer  they 
came,  and  up  through  the  stillness  of  the  early 
morninof  could  be  heard  the  rinmno-  of  the  horses' 
hoofs  upon  the  hard-packed  track  ;  and  now  they 
could  see  that  each  was  stretched  almost  flat  upon 
the  back  of  his  horse,  holding  on  in  some  myste- 
rious way  known  only  to  himself 

Neck  and  neck  they  still  held,  and  though 
Major  Dalyrimple  felt  afraid  of  an  accident,  he 
mentally  determined  if  Tayloe  wanted  to  get 
rid  of  Peter  Black  after  this   escapade,  he  would 


"  Bobbie." 

buy  him  and  have  him  trained  for  a  jockey.  He 
had  the  making  of  one  in  him,  and  Lady  Virginia 
was  doine  well,  even  as  it  was. 

On  they  came,  and  instinctively  the  men  and 
stable  hands  breathed  hard.  For  the  life  of  them 
not  one  could  say  which  he  thought  would  come 
in  ahead.  Louder  and  louder  sounded  the  hoof- 
beats  on  the  hard  earth  ;  and  though  his  heart 
was  beatino-  almost  out  of  his  bosom,  even  Mr. 
Tayloe  could  scarce  repress  a  smile  when  he  saw 
the  eaofer  excitement  on  his  little  son's  face  as  he 
neared  the  stretch  that  would  decide  the  race. 
Peter  Black  was  losing  his  head,  but  Bobbie 
leaned  still  lower  and  touched  Dare  Devil  on  the 
forehead,  as  he  was  accustomed  to  do  in  the  sta- 
bles, and  then  he  saw  the  crowd  at  the  gate  and 
his  father's  white  face  amono-  them.  "  Dare  Devil, 
^^miLstr  he  cried,  almost  frantically.  "Don't 
you  see  father?  We  must T  and  he  bent  his  feet 
aofainst  his  flanks,  and  Dare  Devil  eave  a  o-reat 
leap — and  Peter  Black  was  behind ! 

The    men    set    up   a   shout,   and    Dare    Devil, 


"Bobbie." 

almost  maddened,  kept  up  her  wonderful  speed, 
and  in  a  moment  it  was  over — the  goal  was 
reached,  and  Bobbie  had  loosened  his  hold  and 
was  shouting  wildly  to  his  father,  when  Dare 
Devil  gave  another  spurt — and  Bobbie  lay  on  the 
ground,  flung  against  the  fence.  Every  man 
rushed  quickly  to  the  spot ;  but  already  his  father 
had  him  in  his  arms,  and  Dr.  Trevillian  was  bend- 
ing over  him.  Peter  Black  was  there,  too,  and 
they  said  afterward  that  he  was  as  white  as  Bob- 
bie, It  was  quite  five  minutes  before  they  brought 
him  to,  and  his  first  words  caused  a  great  cheer 
to  break  the  awful  stillness  that  had  followed  his 
fall.  "We  beat  him,  father!  tell  him  so  ;  tell  him 
that  Dare  Devil  can  beat  them  all !"  he  cried  ; 
and  then  he  lifted  his  hand  to  his  face  and  saw  the 
blood  with  which  it  was  stained. 

"  What  is  it  ?"  he  asked,  trying  to  rise,  and  look- 
ing at  it  again  wonderingly.  "Oh,  father,"  he 
pleaded,  "  don't  tell  mother  'bout  the  blood — take 
me  down  to  Sallie  Tom's  cabin — don't  let  mother 
see  it — you  can  do  anything  you   want  with  me, 

22 


"  Bobbie." 

father,"  he  continued,  and  he  tried  hard  to  look 
up  bravely  in  the  latter's  face,  "  only  don't  let 
mother  know  I'm  hurt,  and  don't  punish  Peter 
Black.  I  made  him  do  it — he  didn't  want  to,  and 
he's  mine,  you  know,  father,  and  you  haven't  the 
right."  He  watched  his  father's  face  eagerly. 
"Promise  me,"  he  cried,  "promise  me."  And 
though  his  father  had  an  intense  desire  to  see 
Peter  Black  soundly  thrashed,  he  knew  he  had  no 
right  to  do  it,  for  he  had  simply  obeyed  his  little 
master,  as  he  himself  had  ordered  him  to  do. 

Up  at  the  house  there  was  great  excitement 
when  it  was  known  that  Bobbie's  nose  was  bro- 
ken, and  more  than  ever  was  his  sway  over  the 
household  absolute  and  entire,  as  he  lay  for  a  few 
days  a  prisoner  in  his  little  bed,  waiting  for  the 
great  surgeon  from  the  North  to  come  down  and 
make  it  all  straight  and  well  aeain. 

That  night  his  mother  knelt  by  his  bed  and 
held  him  passionately  to  her  heart  and  thanked 
God  that  he  was  still  her  own,  and  then  she  asked 
him  what  he  most  wanted  to  play  with  while  he 

23 


"  Bobbie." 

was  waiting  to  get  well,  and  his  answer  brought 
the  first  tiny  twinge  of  jealousy  of  which  she  had 
ever  been  conscious.  "  I  want  Dorothy,  mother," 
he  said,  putting  his  arms  around  her  neck  in  his 
old  sweet,  baby  way.  "I  want  Dorothy  most  of 
all.  I'm  sorry  she  ain't  a  boy  as  big  as  me — but 
maybe  I'll  be  glad  she  is  a  girl  when  she  gets  big- 
ger— for  I'll  have  to  have  a  sweetheart,  won't  I, 
mother?"  But  before  she  could  answer  he  was 
fast  asleep  in  her  arms.  The  seed,  however,  had 
fallen  on  fruitful  trround,  and  with  a  siorh  of  which 
she  was  half  ashamed,  his  mother  beean  to  think 
it  would  not  be  so  very  long  before  her  realm  in 
her  boy's  heart  would  be  invaded,  and  she  no 
longer  reign  supreme. 

The  same  night  she  told  her  husband  of  Bob- 
bie's wish,  and  also  what  he  had  said,  and  tog-ether 
they  laughed  at  the  way  he  regarded  the  inevita- 
bility of  a  sweetheart,  and  though  neither  said 
anything  more,  it  seemed  too  absurd  to  discuss 
children  scarce  seven  and  three  years  old — still 
the  idea  took  root,  and  the   hope   was  born   that 

24 


"  Bobbie." 

some  day  Bobbie  and  Dorothy  would  keep  up 
the  Kfe  in  the  big  house  when  they  were  growing 
old,  or  when,  perchance,  they  had  passed  away. 

Dorothy  came  the  next  day,  Dr.  Trevillian 
bringing  her  over  himself  in  answer  to  the  urgent 
note  sent  him  by  Bobbie's  father,  and  for  a  week 
the  two  were  blissfully  happy.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  Dorothy  was  taken  back,  the  promise  that  she 
should  come  again  being  the  only  way  of  stopping 
her  sobs  at  parting,  Bobbie  was  standing  in  the 
doorway  with  his  hands  clutched  closely  together, 
trying  hard  to  keep  back  the  tears  ;  but  when  the 
carriage  was  lost  sight  of  by  a  turn  in  the  road, 
he  ran  to  his  mother  and  buried  his  head  in  her 
lap.  "  He  can  take  her  from  me  now,  'cause  I'm 
little  and  can't  help  it,"  he  blurted  out,  gulpingly, 
"but  when  we  get  bigger  I  won't  let  any  man, 
not  even  her  father,  take  her  from  me  ;  for,  mo- 
ther," and  he  slipped  up  into  her  lap  and  locked 
his  arms  around  her  neck,  "  if  I  tell  you  some- 
thing, will  you  promise  not  to  tell — not  even 
father?"  and  he  whispered  something  solemnly  in 

3  25 


"  Bobbie." 

her  ear,  and  his  mother  laughed  and  kissed  him, 
and  held  him  a  little  closer  to  her  heart. 

When  Dr.  Trevillian  put  his  little  daughter  into 
the  carriage  and  started  oft  for  home,  he  won- 
dered why  he  had  been  fool  enough  to  let  her  stay 
away  from  him  and  her  own  home  for  seven  long 
days,  and  then  when  he  saw  the  beautiful  baby 
eyes,  with  their  wondrously  beautiful  lashes  all  filled 
with  tears,  and  heard  the  Httle  catch  in  her  voice 
because  she  was  leaving  her  playfellow,  he  felt  him- 
self a  selfish  brute,  and  his  heart  smote  him  at  the 
thought  of  the  loneliness  of  his  motherless  child. 

The  Tayloes  and  Trevillians  had  been  friends 
loyal  and  true  for  generations  back,  but  only  of 
late  had  the  Doctor  beorun  aofain  to  visit  "White 
Point."  After  the  terrible  shock  of  his  wife's 
death  he  had  refused  to  oo  amongf  his  former 
friends  or  take  up  his  old  life  as  before,  and  not 
until  Dorothy  was  nearly  three  years  old  did  he 
realize  the  error  of  his  way,  or  the  injustice  to 
his  child  that  such  a  life  entailed.  He  began 
gradually   to   resume   his  practice  and   to  visit  a 

26 


"  Bobbie." 

little,  and  when  he  yielded  to  Mr.  Tayloe's  re- 
quest that  Dorothy  should  come  and  pay  them  a 
visit,  it  was  only  after  a  severe  struggle  and  the 
urgent  pleading  of  his  maiden  sister  that  the  child 
should  have  this  pleasure,  that  he  finally  gave  in, 
and  the  pain  it  cost  him  to  let  her  go  was  known 
only  to  himself. 

And  that  was  the  way  it  went  on.  Year  in  and 
year  out  they  grew  up,  seeing  each  other  so  con- 
stantly that  no  thought  of  either  was  ever  kept 
from  the  other  ;  and  while  over  everybody  else  in 
the  house  and  neighborhood  Bobbie  reio-ned  su- 
preme,  to  Dorothy  alone  did  he  succumb,  and  mer- 
cilessly she  tyrannized  over  him  with  all  the 
inconsistency  of  the  woman  nature  that  was  in  her. 


CHAPTER  III. 

lOBBIE  was  sixteen  when  his  father 
finally  made  up  his  mind  to  send 
him  to  college.  It  nearly  broke  his 
mother's  heart,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
terrible  blow  it  was  to  Peter  Black  and  Sallie  Tom, 
who  still  kept  up  their  passionate  love  for  the 
boy  ;  yet  it  was  admitted  by  all  that  the  going 
was  a  necessity.  Bobbie  simply  would  not  study 
at  home.  By  dawn  of  the  day  he  was  off  on  his 
horse,  and  every  inch  of  ground  for  miles  around 
was  as  familiar  as  the  lawn  in  front  of  the  house. 
Every  bend  of  the  river  with  all  its  fish,  every  bird 
that  flew,  every  insect  that  hummed,  and  every 
kind  of  game  in  the  woods,  were  as  near  and 
dear  to  Bobbie  and  Peter  Black  as  old  and  tried 
friends  ;  and  though  his  progress  with  his  tutors 
was  not  always  as  great  as  it  might  have  been, 
his   tall,  straight  body,  his   supple  limbs,  and  his 

30 


"  Bobbie." 

clear  eyes  and  bright,  clever  face  more  than  re- 
paid for  the  neglect  of  his  books. 

His  father  had  a  serious  talk  with  him  before 
he  left,  and  Bobbie's  face  took  on  a  new  expres- 
sion while  he  listened.  "All  right,  father,"  he 
said,  when  he  left  him,  "I  know  it's  time  for 
me  to  study  now,  and  you  shan't  be  ashamed  of 
me  when  I  come  back,"  and  his  father  was  satis- 
fied, for  Bobbie's  word,  once  given,  he  knew 
would  never  fail. 

Such  a  time  there  was  the  day  he  left !  Had 
the  sun  been  in  an  eclipse,  and  all  the  world  in 
total  darkness,  there  could  not  have  been  greater 
gloom  than  that  which  pervaded  the  entire  house- 
hold, with  all  the  cabin  contingent,  on  the  morn- 
ing he  was  to  leave.  Bobbie's  heart  was  out  of 
its  accustomed  place,  and  stuck  so  persistently  in 
his  throat  that  he  found  talking  difficult.  The 
remembrance  of  his  mother's  face  he  felt  would 
go  with  him  through  life,  and  the  intense  doleful- 
ness  of  Peter  Black  was  oppressive.  Sallie  Tom 
was  a  kind   of  night-mare.      So  heartily  did   she 

31 


"Bobbie." 

disapprove  of  this  move  of  the  master  that  she 
had  kept  away  as  long  as  possible,  but  now  that 
her  idol,  her  pride,  was  leaving,  she  could  hold 
out  no  longer.  Like  a  cyclone  she  rushed  through 
the  line  of  darkies,  all  drawn  up  by  the  big  gate 
waiting  to  see  the  young  master  off,  and  in  a  min- 
ute she  had  him  in  her  arms  and  almost  ofT  his 
feet.  "  Gord  A'mighty  tek  care  of  my  chile  !" 
she  sobbed,  rocking  him  backwards  and  forwards 
in  a  way  highly  uncomfortable  to  poor  Bobbie, 
who  yet  had  not  the  heart  to  rebuff  her.  "  Gord 
A'mighty  tek  care  of  my  po'  chile,  gwine  out 
alone,  all  by  hissef  and  bring  him  back  to  his  old 
mammy  !"  and  she  strained  him  passionately  to 
her  heart,  and  with  a  cry  of  real  anguish  she  let 
him  go  and  rushed  wildly  down  to  her  cabin,  and 
for  two  days  nobody  saw  Sallie  Tom. 

At  last  all  the  partings  were  over  and  Bobbie 
and  his  father  had  waved  as  long  as  they  could 
see  them,  to  the  waiting  crowd,  and  then  a  silence 
long  and  oppressive  fell  upon  both.  Bobbie  dared 
not  trust  himself  to  speak,   and  his   father  was 

32 


"  Bobbie." 

watching  solicitously  one  of  the  back  wheels  of 
the  carriage,  and  only  the  hoarse,  choky  "Git  up 
dar,  Jonah,  git  up,  you  Whale,  you,"  of  Uncle 
Lias  as  he  jerked  the  horses,  trying  to  make  out 
there  was  nothing  unusual  in  the  trip  they  were 
takine,  broke  the  stillness  of  the  air.  A  turn  in 
the  road,  however,  made  Bobbie  start,  and  caused 
his  heart  to  give  an  extra  leap.  There,  waiting 
under  the  big  willow  down  by  the  river  road,  were 
Dr.  Trevillian  and  Dorothy,  and  the  former  called 
cheerily  that  they  were  waiting  to  ride  part  of  the 
way  as  escort,  and  to  his  dying  day  Bobbie  never 
forgot  this  gracious  act  of  letting  him  see  Dorothy 
once  more  before  leaving.  He  had  left  her  the 
night  before  just  at  twilight,  but  a  new  feeling  pos- 
sessed him  as  he  saw  her  now  sitting  so  quietly, 
yet  so  firmly  on  the  little  pony  he  had  broken  and 
trained  for  her  until  safe  for  her  to  ride. 

Ever  since  the  day  his  nose  was  broken,  and 
she  had  come  over  to  play  with  him,  she  had  pos- 
sessed him  absolutely  and  entirely,  and  no  tree 
was   ever   too  high  to   climb   for  birds'   eggs  for 

33 


"  Bobbie." 

Dorothy  ;  no  briars  ever  too  sharp  to  hunt  for  the 
berries  and  flowers  and  nuts  she  Hked  the  best, 
and  no  trouble  ever  too  great  to  take,  if  only  she 
were  pleased,  but  it  was  simply  as  comrades,  as 
boy  and  girl,  that  they  had  played  and  quarreled 
and  made  up  again,  but  to-day  it  was  different. 
Bobbie  felt  it,  but  did  not  understand — he  only 
had  a  fierce  desire  to  take  that  gawk  of  a  fel- 
low, John  Coxe,  away  with  him — he  would  be 
finding  all  the  fiowers  that  Dorothy  loved,  and 
would  get  all  the  chinquapins  and  chestnuts  from 
Pebble  Hollow  now,  and  he  would  be  far.  far 
away.  They  had  both  been  shy  and  unlike  them- 
selves last  night.  Bobbie  had  slipped  over  early 
to  tell  her  good-bye,  and  they  had  stayed  down  at 
the  spring  until  almost  dark  and  talked  over  all 
the  foolish  little  nothings  that  neither  was  inter- 
ested in,  and  Bobbie  had  almost  kicked  out  the 
toe  of  his  boot  against  the  pebbles  trying  to  ap- 
pear natural.  "I'm  awfully  sorry  you're  going," 
said  Dorothy,  at  last,  making  a  desperate  effort, 
however,    to   look  as   if  she   did   not  mind  much. 

34 


"  Bobbie." 

"There  won't  be  anything  to  do  now  except  to 
think  about  Christmas,  and  after  Christmas  the 
summer,  and  that  seems  Hke  a  hundred  years  off," 
and  as  tlie  blankness  all  came  over  her,  she  threw 
herself  down  in  the  grass  and  forgot  to  make 
believe  anything  except  that  she  was  lonely  and 
miserable,  and  didn't  want  Bobbie  to  go,  and  in  a 
minute  he  was  down  there  beside  her,  and  both 
were  fighting  desperately  hard  to  keep  back  the 
tears,  and  Bobbie  tried  to  say  something  to  her 
and  he  couldn't — he  could  only  choke  and  then 
get  angry  with  himself,  and  then  he  told  her  he 
must  go,  and  he  put  his  arms  around  her  and 
kissed  her. 

And  now  when  he  saw  her  sitting  so  easily  on 
her  horse,  waitincr  for  him,  his  heart  eave  a  ereat 
leap.  They  merely  nodded  to  each  other,  and 
Dr.  Trevillian  became  actually  merry  and  jolly  in 
his  efforts  to  keep  up  the  spirits  of  the  party. 
He  would  miss  the  lad  sorely.  He  knew  how  his 
old  friend's  heart  ached  at  the  thought  of  sending 
his  boy  out  into  the  world,  and  he  felt  keenly  for 

35 


"  Bobbie." 

him.  but  it  would  never  do  to  show  it  now.  Doro- 
thy and  Bobbie  talked  but  little,  and  soon  they 
reached  the  point  where  they  must  separate. 
Bobbie  took  off  his  hat  and  shook  hands  with  Dr. 
Trevillian.  "I  have  a  favor  to  ask  of  you,  Doc- 
tor," he  said  in  his  frank,  fearless  way,  "Will  you 
let  Dorothy  write  to  me  sometimes,  and  will  you 
object  to  my  telling  her  about  the  college,  and  the 
boys,  etc.?  I  wouldn't  expect  her  to  do  it  often," 
he  went  on,  trying  to  repress  the  eagerness  in  his 
voice,  "but  I  would  thank  you  very  much."  Dr. 
Trevillian  looked  a  little  taken  back  at  this  modest 
request,  and  he  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  he 
saw  Bobbie's  eager  face  and  Dorothy's  flushed 
one,  and  he  thought  it  would  be  no  harm.  "  V^ery 
well,"  he  said,  "  I  will  make  it  a  reward  of  merit, 
if  you  make  a  certain  average  with  your  studies, 
of  which  your  father  will  tell  me,  and  Dorothy 
makes  the  same  with  hers,  once  a  month  you  shall 
each  send  a  letter — is  that  satisfactory?"  and  the 
Doctor  wrung  the  boy's  hand  until  it  almost  hurt. 
"  Perfectlv,"   answered    Bobbie,    returninor    the 

36 


"  Bobbie." 

pressure  gratefully,  "and  I  thank  you  very  much. 
I  promise  you  my  letters  will  always  come — will 
you  promise  also,  Dorothy?" 

And  Dorothy  nodded,  and  without  waiting  to 
say  good-bye,  touched  her  horse  with  her  whip, 
and  was  far  down  the  road  before  her  father  had 
finished  shaking  hands  with  Mr.  Tayloe. 


37 


m 


CHAPTER  IV. 

T  was  five  years  before  the  coming 
home,  and  the  going  away  of  Bob- 
^^^  bie  ceased  to  be  the  principal  event 
of  the  year,  both  at  "White  Point" 
and  "Grey  Cliffs,"  and  in  fact  to  the  whole  neigh- 
borhood, and  from  the  date  of  one  arrival  until  the 
next  all  events  and  happenings  were  reckoned, 
for  a  truly  royal  time  was  made  of  these  home- 
comings ;  and  merry-makings  such  as  never  will 
be  the  same  aeain,  were  indulo-ed  in  to  an  unlim- 
ited  depfree.  From  morn  till  nioht  was  one  con- 
tinual  round  of  pleasure,  and  nothing  was  ever 
too  much  trouble  if  it  contributed  to  the  young 
people's  enjoyment. 

"  He  works  so  hard  all  during  the  session,"  said 
Bobbie's  mother,  when  his  father  was  mildly  re- 
monstrating on  the  unceasing  frolicking.  "You 
know  how  splendidly  he  has  done  at  school,  how 

38 


"  Bobbie." 

he  never  fails  at  anything,  and  now  we  must  let 
him  have  all  the  relaxation  he  needs,  poor  dear, 
and  there  can  possibly  be  no  harm,  for  Dorothy  is 
always  along." 

Her  husband  smiled  a  little  as  he  stooped  to 
fasten  his  stirrup  straps.  "  Yes,  fortunately  there 
is  Dorothy,  and  if  it  were  not  for  her  I  wouldn't  be 
quite  so  sure  of  all  those  good  reports  we've  been 
getting.  He  knows  there  would  be  no  letter 
without  them,  and  no  letter  would  be  Bobbie's 
worse  punishment." 

They  looked  at  each  other  and  laughed  softly, 
and  then  he  stooped  over  and  kissed  her. 

It  was  his  fourth  Christmas  holiday  that  Bobbie 
noticed  a  great  change  in  Dorothy.  He  was 
greatly  changed  himself — stronger,  taller,  and 
straighter  than  ever,  yet  with  more  grace  and 
ease,  and  the  polish  that  comes  with  constant 
contact  with  gentlemen  of  his  own  class,  and 
through  it  all  ran  the  old,  sweet  charm  that  made 
all  who  came  near  him  love  him.  The  strono-  will 
of  which  he  was  possessed  was  evidenced  more 

39 


"  Bobbie." 

than  ever  in  the  firm  hnes  about  his  mouth,  but 
Bobbie  himself  did  not  reaHze  this,  he  saw  only 
the  change  in  Dorothy. 

It  was  Chrismas-eve,  and  the  nieht  of  the 
annual  big-  party  given  in  his  and  his  friends' 
honor.  He  had  not  seen  her  since  he  had  eotten 
home.  He  had  ridden  over  early  in  the  morning 
and  later,  in  the  afternoon,  and  each  time  he  had 
been  told  she  was  too  sick  to  see  him,  but  was 
trying  to  get  well  enough  to  come  over  at  night, 
and  now,  as  he  stood  watching  the  different  peo- 
ple enter,  he  was  full  of  miserable  uncertainty  as 
to  her  coming  ;  and  if  she  didn't,  why,  what  was 
the  use  of  all  this  to  do  ?  He  had  brought  home 
six  of  his  college  chums  for  the  holidays,  and  a 
finer  looking  set  of  young  men  w^ould  be  hard  to 
find,  thought  Mr.  Tayloe,  as  he  watched  them 
grouped  together  near  the  huge  fire-places  in  the 
big  parlors  now  a  blaze  of  light,  and  filled,  in 
every  niche  and  corner,  with  Christmas  greens. 
Over  the  doors  and  on  the  walls,  and  banked 
about  the  mantels  were  great  festoons  of  holly, 

40 


"  Bobbie." 

while  a  mass  of  foliage  out  in  the  beautiful  old 
hall  hid  completely  from  sight  the  musicians  sta- 
tioned behind  it.  Through  the  opened  doors 
could  be  seen  the  people  going  up  the  wide  stairs 
to  leave  their  wraps,  and  now  they  were  coming 
in,  and  Bobbie  and  the  boys  had  to  take  their 
positions  by  Mrs.  Tayloe  for  awhile,  and  very 
soon  the  rooms  were  crowded  with  all  the  country 
folks  and  many  strangers  besides,  and  still  no 
sign  of  Dorothy.  Bobbie  was  beginning  to  cret 
restless.  He  had  a  cordial,  merry  greetino-  for 
all,  but  his  eyes  were  constantly  watching  the 
staircase.  What  if,  after  all,  she  did  not  come  ! 
Presently  his  heart  gave  a  great  bound — nobody 
but  Dorothy  held  her  head  like  that,  though  all 
he  could  see  was  a  mass  of  soft,  white,  fluffy  stuff 
that  enveloped  from  head  to  foot  the  figure  trying 
hard  to  get  up  the  stairs,  but  who  at  every  step 
was  stopped  and  spoken  to  by  others  coming  or 
going. 

Presently  she    was   in   the    room,    and  Bobbie 
wanted  to  push  everybody  aside  and  go  to  her 

4  41 


"  Bobbie." 

and  take  her  away — away  from  all  this  noise  and 
music  and  crowd,  and  have  her  to  himself ;  but, 
instead,  he  never  moved  an  inch,  only  his  face 
grew  white,  and  he  was  ashamed  of  the  furious 
beating  of  his  heart.  She  was  trying  to  come 
with  her  father,  whose  arm  she  held,  to  speak  to 
his  mother  and  the  rest ;  but  immediately  she  was 
surrounded  and  almost  hopelessly  entangled  as 
she  laughingly  tried  to  make  her  way  through  the 
crowd.  Bobbie  leaned  carelessly  against  the 
mantel  and  awaited  her  coming  with  apparent 
quiet.  She  was  a  revelation  to  him  to-night. 
Surely  it  must  be  another  Dorothy  !  The  one  he 
had  left  in  the  early  fall  was  a  girl — this  one  was 
a  woman.  Bobbie  did  not  know  where  the  charm 
lay  ;  he  saw  it  all  in  a  flash — the  long  dress,  the 
different  arrangement  of  the  hair,  and  the  manner 
that  comes  with  the  wearing,  filled  him  with  en- 
tirely new  sensations.  Was  she  going  to  be 
changed  too  ?  On  she  came,  with  her  father  and 
numerous  followers,  and  soon  she  stood  near 
enough  for  Bobbie  to  see  her  in  her  quaint,  short- 

42 


"  Bobbie." 

waisted  gown  of  sheerest,  daintiest  white,  over  its 
satin  sHp,  cut  low  in  the  neck,  and  with  great 
puffs  for  sleeves.  Surely  no  head  was  ever  poised 
like  Dorothy's,  and  no  hair  was  ever  so  soft,  or 
curled  so  bewitchingly  around  a  forehead  and 
neck  as  did  that  which  escaped  from  the  loose  coil 
at  the  back  of  her  head.  She  wore  no  jewels  or 
ornaments  of  any  kind,  but  in  her  hands  she  car- 
ried the  huge  bouquet  of  violets  he  had  ordered 
from  the  city  and  sent  to  her  during  the  day. 
How  exactly  they  matched  her  eyes,  he  thought,  as 
he  watched  her — those  wondrously  beautiful  eyes, 
with  their  wondrously  beautiful  lashes  !  She  had 
spoken  to  his  mother,  and  now  she  turned  to  Bob- 
bie :  "  I've  had  to  fight  my  way  up  here,"  she  said 
laughingly,  holding  out  her  hand  to  him  in  the 
sweet,  frank  way  of  old,  "but  I  suppose  no  penalty 
is  too  great  to  pay  for  the  privilege  of  speaking 
to  so  many  college  men  ;"  and  Bobbie,  bending 
low  over  the  hand  he  held  in  his  own,  had  scarce 
time  for  a  word  before  she  was  speaking  to  his 
chum  next  to  him,  and  in  a  minute  all  the  boys 

43 


"  Bobbie." 

were  crowdino-  around  and  holdinor  out  their  hands 
to  grasp  hers.  A  moment  more  and  she  would 
be  gone.  Bobbie  slipped  out  of  the  line  and 
touched  her  arm.  "  Dorothy,"  he  whispered, 
"give  me  your  card  ;  these  fellows  will  get  every 
dance  before  I  have  a  chance." 

His  tone  was  the  old  imperious  one  he  used  as 
a  child  when  determined  to  have  his  way.  Doro- 
thy looked  in  his  face  for  a  moment,  hesitated, 
smiled,  and  then  handed  her  card  to  him,  and 
recklessly  he  scribbled  here  and  there,  until  she 
protested,  and  made  him  give  it  back.  Now  she 
was  gone,  and  he  could  see  her  dancing  down 
the  long  room,  while  dozens  of  eyes  watched  her 
eagerly,  for  Dorothy  was  fair  to  look  upon  to- 
night. 

She  afterwards  called  it  her  "  coming-out  party," 
and  in  truth  it  could  in  reason  be  so  called.  She 
was  a  woman  now — a  very  young  one,  it  is  true, 
but  full  of  all  a  woman's  witchery  and  grace,  and 
Bobbie  was  by  no  means  the  only  one  who  loved 
her. 

44 


"  Bobbie." 

The  last  year  and  a  half  at  college  was  a  rest- 
less time  for  Bobbie,  for  his  ambition  admitted  of 
nothing  less  than  first  honors,  that  she  might  be 
proud  of  him,  and  through  it  all  he  was  possessed 
by  a  nameless  dread.  Suppose  she  should  not 
give  him  now  the  old  love  she  bore  him  in  their 
childhood  days  !  Their  letters  were  always  friendly 
and  kind  in  tone,  but  after  awhile  there  was  a 
formality  in  them  which  both  tried  to  overlook,  yet 
neither  succeeded  in  banishing,  and  they  wrote  of 
everything  else  but  the  one  thing  dearest  to  their 
hearts. 

The  night  Bobbie  took  his  degree  was  a  very 
proud  and  happy  one,  for  he  was  given  the  bliss- 
ful surprise  of  knowing  Dorothy  was  there  with 
his  father  and  mother.  "At  the  last  moment 
father  allowed  me  to  come,"  she  had  managed  to 
whisper,  and  then  she  had  to  leave  him  ;  and 
before  the  evening  was  done,  he  almost  angrily 
wished  she  had  not  come.  Scarce  a  word  could 
he  have  with  her  before  she  was  literally  taken 
away  from  him  by  a  score  of  men,  who  were  wait- 

45 


"  Bobbie." 

ing  to  claim  a  dance  in  the  ball  that  followed 
the  closing  exercises  of  the  year.  It  was  late, 
very  late,  before  he  got  her  away  from  them  all. 
She  was  standing  in  a  corner  of  the  room,  as 
usual,  surrounded  by  a  gay  group,  when  he 
walked  up  and  placed  her  hand  upon  his  arm,  and 
led  her  away  from  the  crowd.  "I'm  sorry  to 
break  you  up,"  he  said,  nodding  to  the  others, 
standing  stock  still  with  amazement  at  his 
nerve,  "but  I  believe  this  dance  is  mine,"  and 
he  walked  off  with  Dorothy,  quite  as  if  she 
already  belonged  entirely  to  him. 

"We  are  spoiling  you  to-night,  Bobbie,"  she 
said,  laughing  indulgently  ;  "  even  I  am  letting 
you  do  as  you  choose,  but  I  just  wonder  if  you 
expect  to  keep  it  up — if  you  think  that  we  are 
always  going  simply  to  follow  your  lead  ?  " 

"No,"  he  answered,  "no;  after  to-night  you 
will  lead,  and  I  suppose  I  will  do  the  following  ; 
but  to-night — we  do  not  want  to  dance — I  want 
to  get  you  away  from  all  this  crowd." 

He    led    her    through    the    door,     and  down 
46 


"  Bobbie." 

the  length  of  the  veranda,  until  they  came 
to  a  quiet  corner,  far  removed  from  the  ball-room 
and  the  gay  company  within.  There  was  a  seat 
way  back  in  the  shadow,  and  he  pushed  her  gently 
in  it,  while  he  stood  leaning  against  the  railing, 
tearing  the  blossoms  off  the  vine  that  made  so 
beautiful  a  drapery  from  the  floor  quite  to  the  top 
above.  The  moon  was  gloriously  bright,  but 
only  in  faint  glints  could  it  be  seen  through  the 
mass  of  leaves,  and  as  Dorothy  leaned  back 
its  glimmer  shone  upon  her  hair,  and  for  a  moment 
rested  lovingly  there,  and  then  danced  wickedly 
and  distractingly  up  and  down,  until  it  was  all 
Bobbie  could  do  to  keep  from  kissing  it,  to  make 
it  still.  He  had  loved  Dorothy  all  his  life,  and 
now  that  he  wanted  to  tell  her  so,  as  man  to 
woman,  his  courage  failed  him.  Faint  strains  of 
the  rhythmic  waltz  reached  them,  and  Dorothy 
leaned  back,  with  her  hands  loosely  clasped  in  her 
lap,  and  turned  her  face  so  that  he  could  not  see  it 
well. 

"What    is    it — are    you     tired?"     he     asked, 

47 


"  Bobbie." 

uneasily,  sitting  beside  her.  "Ah,  Dorothy,  you 
know  it  so  well  already  ! — know  that  always  I  have 
loved  you — and  yet  you  make  it  so  hard  for  me  to 
tell  you.  You  have  held  me  off  and  made  me 
afraid  to  speak,  but  to-night  " — "  but  to-night  you 
must  tell  me,  Dorothy.  Will  you  let  the  others 
go,  and  will  you  marry  me,  now  I  am  through  col- 
lege ?  Answer  me,  Dorothy,  don't  make  me  wait." 
He  had  his  arms  around  her,  and  he  drew  her  face 
again  to  his,  while  his  breath  came  fast  and  hard, 
and  he  could  distinctly  hear  the  beating  of  his 
heart. 

Dorothy  looked  at  him  for  just  a  moment, 
and  then  she  tried  to  free  herself  from  his  arms. 
"  Not  until  you  answer  me,"  he  said,  holding 
her  tighter.      "  What  is  it  ?'' 

"I  wonder  why  men  are  so  stupid,"  she  said, 
laughing  a  little  unsteadily,  "you  take  so  long  to 
find  out  what  women  know  so  soon.  I  like  the 
others,  but — ah,  Bobbie,  you  know" — and  she 
looked  up  in  his  face  and  touched  it  shyly  with  her 
hand. 


"  Bobbie." 

And  Bobbie  knew,  knew  that  of  all  men  on 
earth  lie  was  the  most  supremely  blessed,  and  he 
could  not  speak  for  the  wonderful  happiness  that 
filled  him.  He  could  only  hold  her  in  his  arms 
and  kiss  the  quivering,  trembling  lips,  and  the 
beautiful  violet  eyes  and  the  moon  glints  in  her 
hair. 


49 


CHAPTER  V. 
IIaLLIE  TOM  and  Peter   Black    had 


a  conversation  a  nieht  or  two  after 

the  return  of  the  "white  folks  from 

the  college,"  and  the  announcement 

of  Dorothy's   and   Bobbie's   engagement  was   of 

course  its  topic-in-chief. 

"  Dey  do  say,"  said  Sallie  Tom,  taking  her  pipe 
surreptitiously  from  the  depth  of  her  bottomless 
pocket,  and  lighting  it  with  a  coal  from  the  hearth, 
"  dey  do  say  dat  de  Doctor  done  walk  de  flo'  all 
night  long  when  Mars'  Bobbie  come  over  and 
axed  fur  Miss  Dorothy,  jis  as  if  he  didn't  kno' 
dat  it  had  to  come ;  every  nigger  on  de  place 
know'd  it  was  gwine  to  end  dat  way,  and  tain't  no 
use  fur  de  Doctor  to  say  he  didn't  spec  it  so 
suddin'  ;  'taint  nothin'  suddin'  bout  it.  Dey  been  a 
lovin'  one  another  ever  sence  dey  bin  born,  ever 
sence    his    nose    got    broke.       Miss    Dorothy    is 

50 


site  was  a  woman  no2P — a  very  young  one,  it  is  true. 
(See  page  44) 


"Bobbie." 

mighty  nice,  but  she  ought  to  thank  her  Gord 
A'mighty  every  day  dat  our  Mars'  Bobbie  hiv 
her,"  and  SalHe  Tom  kicked  the  ashes  together 
on  the  hearth  and  gave  a  httle  grunt,  puffing 
vigorously  at  her  pipe  meanwhile. 

"  He  sutny  do  luv  her,"  said  Peter  Black,  lean- 
ing back  in  his  chair  and  clasping  his  knees 
between  his  hands,  "ain't  no  mistake  'bout  dat, 
and  dere  ain't  eoin'  to  be  no  foolin'  'bout  eittin' 
married  if  he  kin  hep  it,  but  de  Doctor  say  he 
cay  n't  let  Miss  Dorothy  go  way  from  home  yit. 
She  ain't  quite  turn  eighteen,  and  Mars'  Bobbie 
he  ain't  been  long  cum  twenty-one,  and  de  Doctor 
say  dere's  plenty  time  yit.  It  don't  mek  much 
difference  to  me,"  he  went  on  after  a  pause,  "jis 
so  dey  stay  home  and  don't  go  flyin'  all  roun'  de 
worl'  eny  mo'.  I'm  glad  dey  is  gwine  to  git  mar- 
ried, but  I  do  want  de  marsa  to  be  home  a  little 
bit  by  hissef  fust.  'Pears  like  I  aint  seen  him  good 
yit. 

"  You're  right,"  grunted  Sallie  Tom,  between 
the  puffs,    "  ain't  hardly  cotch  a  good  look  at  him 

53 


"  Bobbie." 

mysef,  do'  he  did  come  heah  de  night  he  got  home 
an  ax  me  fur  his  buttermilk  and  hoecake,  same 
ez  what  he  use'  to  do,  and  sat  over  dere  in  de 
corner,  like  what  he  alius  bin  a  doin'  sence  he  wuz 
a  baby  ;  de  Lord  a-bless  him  !  "  And  Sallie  Tom 
wrapped  her  head  up  in  her  big  apron  and  rocked 
back  and  forth,  quite  overcome  by  the  flood  of 
recollections  called  up  by  his  presence  at  home 
ao-ain.  It  had  been  the  sorest  trial  in  the  lives  of 
Sallie  Tom  and  Peter  Black,  this  going  away  of 
Bobbie,  and  now  that  he  was  back,  unspeakable 
joy  reigned  supreme  in  the  breasts  of  each. 
During  the  years  at  college,  Peter  Black  had  acted 
as  dining-room  boy,  helping  the  butler,  who  was 
getting  rather  old,  but  he  had  been  immediately 
reinstalled  in  his  old  position  on  Bobbie's  return, 
and  his  love  and  allegiance  to  his  young  master 
was  greater  than  ever  before. 

It  was  in  the  summer  of  sixty  ('60)  that  Bobbie 
got  his  degree  at  college  and  the  promise  of 
Dorothy  to  be  his  wife,  and  while  much  gayety 
and  pleasure  filled  up  the  measure  of  many  days, 

54 


"  Bobbie." 

other  and  more  weighty  subjects  began  to  fill  the 
air,  and  caused  many  long  and  serious  discussions 
amono-  the  men  of  the  neighborhood,  old  and 
young  alike,  and  by  the  fall  the  one  absorbing 
topic  among  all  classes  was  the  terrible  possibility 
of  war. 

It  was  a  clear,  cool  October  night  that  Dorothy 
and  Bobbie  had  their  first  serious  talk  about  it. 
His  horse  was  hitched  to  the  post  waiting  for  him, 
and  Dorothy  had  come  out  on  the  porch  to  say 
good-bye.  The  moon  shone  clear  and  bright, 
softening  the  shadows  cast  by  the  great  trees  on 
the  lawn,  and  all  the  air  was  full  of  the  sweet,  fall 
fragrance  which  belongs  to  that  season  of  the  year. 

Bobbie  was  holding  his  hat  in  his  hand,  idly 
twirling  it  as  he  talked,  to  hide  the  excitement  he 
could  scarce  repress.  "  Father  says,"  and  they 
began  to  walk  up  and  down  the  veranda,  "  father 
says  if  the  State  secedes,  he  will  organize  a  troop 
of  cavalry  at  once,  and  I  will  of  course  join  him. 
Your  father  will  be  our  surgeon,  and  you — has 
your    father    said     anything    about     it     to    you, 

55 


"  Bobbie." 

Dorothy?"  he  asked,  abruptly,  taking  her  hand 
and  drawino-  it  throuorh  his  arm  and  holding-  it 
there  tightly.  "  Has  he  mentioned  any  of  his  pos- 
sible plans  to  you  ?  " 

"Yes,"  she  answered,  slowly,  "yes,  he  has 
talked  with  me  of  every  possibility.  I  am  to  go 
to  your  mother  in  case  there  is  any  necessity. 
Auntie  will  go  to  the  city,  so  as  to  be  near  the 
hospitals,  and  you — and  father — and  everybody  I 
love  will  be  in  that  horrible,  cruel  thine !  Ah, 
Bobbie,  why  must  it  happen — why  cannot  it  be 
stopped  ?  "  and  she  shivered  in  dread  apprehension 
of  the  days  that  were  awaiting  her.  Bobbie 
answered  her  seriously  and  solemnly,  "  I  would 
to  Heaven  it  could,  but  if  not,  you  would  not  have 
me  stay?  " 

"No,"  she  said,  raising  her  head  quickly.  "I 
would  not  have  you  stay  even  if  it  broke  my 
heart  to  have  you  go.  I  did  not  know  how  much 
I  loved  my  South  until  now,  when  I  must  give  up 
all  I  love  most  for  it.  I  pray  God  to  help  me — to 
make   me  brave — but  sometimes   I'm  afraid   I'm 

56 


"  Bobbie." 

a  coward  ;  but  of  course  you  must  go,  and  who 
knows  but  I  may  yet  have  a  major,  or  a  colonel, 
or  a  brio-adier-eeneral  for  a  husband?"  and  she 
tried  to  laugh  bravely  at  the  thought, 

"You  shall  have  one  who  is  every  inch  a 
Southern  soldier,"  he  said,  taking  the  upturned 
face  in  his  hands.  "And  I  can  have  nothing 
greater  than  that,"  she  added  proudly,  and  the 
moon  rested  lovingly  for  a  moment  on  their  bent 
heads,  and  only  the  winds  heard  the  vows  they 
made  to  be  true  to  their  cause — come  what  may, 
come  what  might. 


57 


CHAPTER  VI. 

^^^^^'^^ 

'/«    /(C^y^  j'tUCH  a  short,  hurried  time,  it  seemed 

afterwards,  before  everything  was 
decided,  all  preparations  made,  and 
all  the  oreat  chancres,  which  at  first 
they  thought  would  only  prove  temporary,  settled 
down  to  a  permanent  thing.  The  neighborhood, 
once  so  gay  and  bright  and  full  of  all  that  makes 
life  worth  the  living,  was  turned  into  a  kind  of 
camping  ground  or  recruiting  station,  and  "White 
Point"  was  the  nucleus  around  which  every^thing 
centered. 

Mr.  Tayloe  was  the  leading  spirit  of  the  place, 
and  no  better-drilled  body  of  cavalry  entered  the 
service  than  the  "Rockland  Home  Guards" 
under  his  command,  with  Bobbie  as  his  first  lieu- 
tenant and  Dr.  Trevillian  as  surgeon.  "  Grey 
Clifts  "  was  to  be  closed,  with  only  the  servants 
in   their  quarters,  to  take  charge  of  the  place  as 

58 


"  Bobbie." 

long  as  they  proved  faithful  and  Dorothy  was 
established  with  Bobbie's  mother.  Her  aunt  had 
left  for  the  city,  where,  she  said  sadly,  she  knew 
there  would  be  plenty  to  do  after  awhile,  and  soon 
the  beautiful  old  home  had  a  dreary,  deserted 
look,  for  the  shadow  of  coming-  sorrow  was  hover- 
ing over  it. 

Bobbie  had  begged  hard  to  be  married  before 
he  should  start  for  what  might  perhaps  be  an 
interminable  absence,  but  Dr.  Trevillian  was  firm 
in  his  refusal  for  a  year  longer  at  least. 

"  I  am  giving  you  the  light  of  my  life,  Bobbie," 
he  said,  putting  his  hand  on  the  young  man's 
shoulder,  as  he  stood  pleading  his  cause,  just  two 
days  before  they  received  orders  to  join  H.'s  regi- 
ment at  C — ,  "and  you  must  wait,  my  man,  until 
she  is  a  little  older — she  is  so  young  yet !  Per- 
haps " — he  cleared  his  throat  and  went  on  after 
a  minute — "  perhaps  after  I  leave  here,  I  may 
never  come  back  ;  but  remember  always,  that  my 
daughter's  happiness  is  in  your  power,  and  that  I 
put  into  your  hands  the  most  sacred  trust  one 

59 


"  Bobbie." 

man  can  give  another.  I  charge  you  to  guard  it 
well." 

Bobbie  bared  his  head  as  a  knight  of  old.  "  So 
help  me  God,"  he  said  reverently,  "I  shall  be 
worthy  of  it."  They  shook  hands  in  silence  and 
separated. 

It  was  the  night  before  they  were  to  start.  Mr. 
Tayloe  and  his  wife  were  shut  in  their  room.  The 
Doctor  was  in  the  library  writing  some  final  direc- 
tions to  be  sent  over  to  "Grey  Cliffs,"  and 
Bobbie  and  Dorothy  were  out  on  the  lawn,  under 
the  old  wishing-tree  down  by  the  gate.  Every 
preparation  for  departure  had  been  made,  and 
the  start  was  to  occur  at  five  the  next  morning. 
Peter  Black  was  in  an  ecstasy  of  delight  because  he 
was  to  accompany  his  young  master  as  his  body- 
servant,  and  Sallie  Tom  was  in  the  depths  of 
stern  and  silent  indignation  and  despair  at  the 
turn  affairs  had  taken. 

She  now  had  her  son  down  in  the  cabin  for 
final  admonitions  as  to  the  duties  and  obligations 
resting  upon  him,  and  for  renewed  charges  that  no 

60 


"  Bobbie." 

matter  where  they  might  be,  in  case  anything  hap- 
pened to  the  young  master,  he  was  to  bring  him 
home,  if  possible  ;  if  not,  he  was  to  come  himself, 
and  tell  her  that  she  might  go  to  him. 

Bobbie  and  Dorothy  were  silent  for  a  long  time, 
down  under  the  old  wishinQ--tree,  for  neither  could 
trust  themselves  to  speak  of  the  things  nearest  their 
hearts,  but  after  awhile  Bobbie  began  to  talk  of  the 
orders  received  the  day  before.  ''If  it  were  not 
for  leaving  you  and  mother,"  he  said,  "if  it 
weren't  for  that  continual  nightmare  hano-inor  over 
me,  I  think  I  should  enjoy  going  more  than  any- 
thine  on  earth.  We  have  talked,  and  argued,  and 
discussed  all  this  so  long  that  I  am  glad  the  time 
has  come  to  fight  it  out  ;  it  is  the  only  way  to  settle 
it,  and  the  sooner  begun  the  sooner  ended." 

Dorothy  answered  slowly,  and  after  a  long 
pause  :  "  Yes,  I  know  it  is  the  only  way  to  settle 
it,  but  it  is  a  horrible  price  that  must  be  paid  for 
the  final  decision.  Ah,  I  understand  how  you  feel, 
but  you  are  going  into  it,  into  the  danger,  into 
work,  into  action — and — I  know — into  death,  too, 

6i 


"Bobbie." 

perhaps,"  and  her  voice  shook  a  httle,  "  but  it  is  so 
much  harder  for  us — we  who  have  to  stay  here — 
wlio  must  sit  day  after  day — waiting  to  hear.  Of 
course,  I  can  knit  socks,  and  tear  strips,  and  make 
bandages  to  send  to  the  city  ;  but  what  can  I  do 
to  make  myself  forget  for  one  single  moment  that 
you  maybe  needing  me — or  father?" — and  she 
broke  down  in  a  genuine  sob,  and  then  in  a  min- 
ute she  slipped  away  from  him.  "You  will  think 
me  a  coward — and  I  know  I  am  not  that — see,  I 
have  brought  you  something — you  must  keep  it, 
and  read  it,  and  be  the  man  it  can  make  you," 
and  she  put  in  his  hands  a  tiny  pocket  Testament, 
on  the  inside  of  which  she  had  pasted  a  small 
picture  of  herself. 

"That  will  be  my  talisman,"  he  said,  kissing  it 
reverently,  and  putting  it  in  his  inner  pocket, 
"  and  will  keep  me  from  harm,  please  God." 

They  talked  until  the  night  grew  late  and  chill, 
and  then  he  put  his  arms  around  her  for  a  last 
good-bye.  The  winds  shivered  in  the  tops  of  the 
trees,  and   the  whip-poor-wills  'way  down  by  the 

62 


"Bobbie." 

brook  were  calling  plaintively  to  each  other,  and 
the  moon  slipped  under  a  cloud,  and  only  the  stars 
looked  down  and  saw  the  sorrow  that  filled  their 
brave  young  hearts. 

They  were  gone,  and  Dorothy  and  Bobbie's 
mother  turned  from  the  porch,  from  which  they 
had  watched  as  long  as  possible,  and  went  inside, 
not  daring  to  speak,  lest  all  the  long-controlled 
feeling  they  had  been  struggling  to  conceal  should 
reveal  itself  at  last. 

They  took  up  their  new  Hfe  courageously,  and 
the  influence  of  each  was  great,  both  in  the  home 
and  in  the  neiehborhood  ;  but  it  was  not  long 
before  trouble  began  to  appear  among  the  ser- 
vants, and,  as  time  went  on,  greater  and  greater 
discontent  became  evident. 

It  was  not  until  news  of  the  first  battle  reached 
them  that  the  horror  of  it  all  made  itself  felt  in 
full  force  to  Dorothy.  She  had  heard  that  a  battle 
must  take  place  soon  ;  and  when  Bobbie's  letter 
came,  telling  her  he  hoped  and  prayed  his  regi- 
ment would  have  the  honor  of  being  allowed  to 

63 


"  Bobbie." 

go  into  the  first  fight,  her  heart  sank  in  miserable 
misgivings. 

She  wrote  him,  however,  that  if  he  were  sent 
into  this  battle  she  knew  the  honor  of  old  Rock- 
land would  be  safe,  and  not  by  a  single  word  did 
she  tell  him  how  torturing  was  the  anxiety,  or 
how,  all  nio-ht  lonof  she  had  knelt  at  her  window 
and  prayed  God  to  protect  and  keep  him  safe. 

Not  for  ten  days  did  she  hear  again,  and  then 
came  such  a  battered  and  soiled  old  envelope  that 
the  address  was  almost  unreadable.  It  was  very 
short,  and  written  in  pencil  on  a  scrap  of  paper 
torn  from  a  note-book,  and  ran  as  follows  : 

"  Dear  Dorothy — We  are  drawn  up  in  line  of 
battle,  facing  the  enemy,  and  waiting  the  signal  to 
charge.  I  am  using  my  cap  to  write  on.  I  don't 
know  how  it  is  going  to  be.  I  only  know  we  are 
going  to  fight  like  our  women  expect  us  ;  and 
now,  before  it  begins,  I  am  trying  to  send  you  a 
word  to  tell  you  that  the  thought  of  you  makes 
me  dare  all  things.  I  am  going  to  put  this  in  my 
pocket.  Peter  Black  knows  what  I  want  done  in 
case  I  don't  send  it  myself.     Tell  mother  she  shall 

64 


"  Bobbie." 

not  be  ashamed  of  her  son.  My  love  to  her,  and 
for  you,  Httle  sweetheart,  God  bless  you,  and 
make  me  worthy  of  you  ! 

"  Bobbie." 

Peter  Black  found  it  in  his  pocket,  where  he 
had  been  directed  to  look  ;  and  though  Bobbie 
declared  it  was  only  a  scratch,  it  kept  him  close 
for  a  week,  and  Peter  Black's  powers  as  a  nurse 
were  tested  pretty  well  in  that  time. 

It  was  shortly  after  this  that  Bobbie  was  ap 
pointed  General  H.'s  special  scout.  His  well- 
known  absence  of  fear,  his  reckless  daring, 
together  with  his  wonderful  ability  to  ferret  his 
way  through  any  section  of  country,  and  his  mar- 
velous endurance,  had  already  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  his  regiment,  and  soon  it  became  a  common 
matter  to  send  for  him  when  the  situation  de- 
manded unusual  haste  and  caution. 


65 


CHAPTER  VII. 

HE  first  year  of  the  war  passed  with 
comparatively  little  change  at  "White 
(^^^i^^t^^^  Point"  but  towards  the  middle  of 
the  second  year  the  trouble  which 
had  been  brewing  among  the  negroes  for  some 
time  gave  way  to  open  rebellion  ;  and  had  it 
not  been  for  Sallie  Tom's  wonderful  and  con- 
juring influence  over  them,  they  would  have  left 
long  before  they  did.  Under  Mrs.  Tayloe's  and 
Dorothy's  oversight,  much  of  the  farming  had 
been  kept  up  ;  but  towards  the  second  harvesting 
it  became  evident  that  trouble  was  ahead.  A 
negro  agitator  and  so-called  preacher  had  ap- 
peared in  the  village  near  by,  and  so  great  was 
the  effect  of  his  haranguing  that  the  entire  neigh- 
borhood was  demoralized,  and  nightly  meetings 
were  held  down  at  the  cross-roads.  Sallie  Tom 
was  constable-in-chief  of  the  "White  Point"  con- 

66 


"Bobbie." 

tingent,  and  every  night  she  stationed  herself  in 
the  road  usually  taken  by  the  servants  and  hands 
on  their  way  to  the  meetings,  a  gun  in  one  hand 
and  a  pistol  in  the  other,  ready  to  shoot  the  first 
one  who  passed.  Every  negro  on  the  place 
believed  in  her  cunjuring  power,  and  they  would 
no  sooner  have  thought  of  passing  than  of  trying 
to  ride  the  moon.  Things  were  beginning  to  look 
desperate.  Even  the  loyal  and  good  servants 
showed  signs  of  dissatisfaction  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  agitators,  until  finally  only  Dorothy's 
old  mammy  Rachel,  Jessie,  the  dining-room  ser- 
vant. Uncle  Lias,  the  carriage  driver,  and  Sallie 
Tom  remained  deaf  to  the  promises  of  good  for- 
tune and  prosperity  advanced  by  the  younger 
element. 

It  was  on  a  clear,  bright  October  morning,  that 
the  result  of  all  their  meetings  and  plannings 
were  realized.  Mrs.  Tayloe  and  Dorothy  came 
down  as  usual,  and  found  Sallie  Tom  and  the 
three  other  servants  drawn  up  in  line  outside 
the   dinine-room    door.     Sallie  Tom   was  almost 

67 


"  Bobbie." 

wild  with  excitement  and  anger,  "  They're  gone  !" 
she  cried,  waving  her  hand  violently  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  quarters,  her  voice  trembling  and  her 
whole  body  quivering.  "They're  gone,"  every 
one  of  them — gone  like  thieves  in  the  night. 
They  have  took  all  their  things,  and  six  of  the 
horses,  mos'  all  the  corn,  and  Gord  A'mighty 
knows  what  else.  Oh,  Lordy  !"  she  went  on,  "to 
think  of  all  the  trouble  what's  come  to  us  'count 
of  dat  monstrous  inturfurence  bizness  of  them 
Yankees  !  To  think  I  uver  should  er  lived  to  see 
my  missus  done  treated  so  by  niggers  !  Oh,  Lord 
A'mighty,  what  we  gwine  to  do  anyhow?"  And 
Sallie  Tom  for  the  moment  lost  her  courage  in 
the  face  of  the  dread  possibilities  of  the  future. 

Mrs.  Tayloe  turned  white  to  the  lips,  and  Do- 
rothy caught  her  hands  and  held  them  in  her  own 
strone,  tender  ones. 

"  I  suppose  it  had  to  come,"  she  said  presently, 
nervously  pressing  Dorothy's  hands  in  her  own. 
"  I  am  thankful  it  is  no  worse.  We  must  do  the 
best  we   can,  and   not  let  the  gentlemen   know. 

68 


"  Bobbie." 

Ah,  no,  we  must  not  let  the  gentlemen  know  !" 
Her  voice  broke,  and  she  hurried  back  to  her 
room,  and  they  left  her  there,  for  they  knew  it 
was  best  that  she  should  be  alone  for  awhile. 

It  was  Dorothy's  turn  to  advise  and  lead  now. 
With  all  the  courage  and  hope  of  youth  she  began 
to  take  charge  of  the  place.  With  the  help  of 
the  others  she  managed  to  keep  up  part  of  the 
farm,  and  from  one  end  to  the  other  she  rode 
daily  on  her  horse,  sometimes  with  saddle, 
sometimes  bareback.  A  new  fear  was  beginning 
to  grow  in  her  heart.  Every  dollar  on  earth  pos- 
sessed by  both  her  father  and  Mr.  Tayloe  had 
been  invested  in  Confederate  bonds,  and  she 
knew  that  very  soon  their  purchasing  value  would 
be  of  little  account. 

That  they  should  ever  suffer  she  did  not  allow 
herself  to  think  ;  but  it  was  necessary  to  husband 
every  resource,  and  every  energy  must  be  bent 
toward  keeping  from  Bobbie's  mother  as  long  as 
possible  the  seriousness  of  the  situation.  Life 
was  by  no  means  now  a  thing  of  ease  or  pleasure 

69 


"  Bobbie." 

to  Dorothy.  The  days  became  weeks,  and  the 
weeks  months,  and  the  months  were  becoming 
years,  and  the  clouds  which  at  first  they  thought 
would  be  but  temporary,  were  continually  grow- 
ing- blacker  and  heavier,  with  never  a  sien  of  lift- 
ing.  It  was  not  until  the  Christmas  of  '63  that 
any  real  alarm,  however,  was  actually  felt  as  to 
the  outlook.  By  a  long-planned  and  well-timed 
scheme  Mr.  Tayloe,  who  now  through  successive 
ranks  had  been  promoted  to  that  of  colonel,  and 
Dr.  Trevillian,  now  a  surgeon-in-chief,  had  man- 
aged to  get  leave  for  a  two  days'  visit  home,  the 
first  they  had  been  able  to  make  together  since  they 
entered  the  service.  Bobbie's  movements  were 
uncertain.  He  would  be  there,  he  wrote,  were  it 
a  matter  of  possibility,  but  he  might  be  kept  for 
some  special  duty.  He  had  managed  to  run  in 
for  a  day  or  so  at  intervals  of  every  few  months, 
and  consequently  was  better  prepared  for  the 
present  condition  of  things  than  were  the  others. 
All  through  the  three  long  years  there  never 
had  been  a  time  when  it  was  possible  for  him  and 

70 


"Bobbie." 

Dorothy  to  be  married.  W^hen  he  was  at  home, 
her  father  and  his  were  away,  and  he  could  never 
induce  her  to  marry  him  unless  all  were  there. 

Every  effort  was  made  to  make  this  Christmas 
a  memorable  one.  Mrs.  Tayloe's  happiness  at 
having-  her  husband  home  once  more  g-ave  her  a 
fresh  measure  of  strength,  and  the  very  best  that 
had  been  carefully  saved  and  hoarded  for  many 
months  past  was  now  made  into  the  good  things 
of  former  Christmas  times  ;  and  though  Dorothy 
knew  they  would  have  to  stint  for  months  to  come, 
yet  she  never  let  any  one  but  Sallie  Tom  realize 
how  reckless  it  all  was. 

Sallie  Tom's  joy  at  having  once  more  a  pretence 
of  Christmas  festivities  made  itself  known  by  her 
own  peculiar  way  of  snorting  as  she  prepared  the 
various  dishes  that  were  best  liked  by  the  master 
and  the  Doctor,  to  say  nothing  of  those  she  sur- 
reptitiously made  for  Bobbie,  in  case  he  should 
come.  That  he  would  come,  she  never  doubted, 
and  all  day  long  on  Christmas-eve  she  had  her 
ears,  as  well  as  her  eyes,  open  to  catch  the  first 

71 


"  Bobbie." 

sound  of  his  horse's  hoofs  on   the   frozen  around 
outside. 

Colonel  Tayloe  and  his  wife  had  stayed  much 
in  their  room,  talking  over  matters  of  minutest 
detail  as  to  the  new  life  of  each,  while  Dorothy 
and  her  father  had  a  long  talk  after  the  latter' s  re- 
turn from  "Grey  Cliffs,"  where  he  had  spent  most 
of  the  day.  He  had  brought  back  her  mother's 
portrait,  and  told  her  he  wanted  it  put  in  her 
room.  "There  is  no  teUing  what  may  happen," 
he  said,  trying,  however,  to  speak  cheerfully. 
"There  may  be  trouble  around  here  yet.  The 
negroes  seem  to  be  going  crazy.  Only  two  are 
over  there  now — old  Israel  and  his  wife.  I  have 
buried  all  the  silver  and  a  few  other  things,"  and  he 
told  her  where  he  had  hidden  them.  "  I  want  you 
to  understand  about  everything,  Dorothy.  You 
know  it  will  all  be  yours  some  day,  and  there  is 
no  telling" — he  stopped  abruptly  at  the  sight  of 
the  sad,  pained  face.  "  Don't  look  that  way, 
Dorothy,  daughter,"  he  went  on,  softly  stroking 
the  hand  he  held  in  both  of  his.     "  When  the  end 

72 


"  Bobbie." 

comes  to  me  don't  eneve,  but  be  g-lad,  Mad  for 
me  ;  for  I've  wanted  to  go  for  a  long  time,  except 
for  leaving  you,  and  I  know  that  is  all  right  now. 
Bobbie  has  proven  himself  to  be  a  soldier  worthy 
of  the  cause  for  which  he  fiohts,  and  I  have  been 
proud  of  him — very  proud.  I  have  made  you 
both  wait  much  longer  than  I  intended,  but  I  did 
it  to  be  satisfied,  and  I  am  satisfied  at  last.  I 
have  lived  for  so  many  years  with  only  the  mem- 
ory of  a  past  and  the  hope  of  a  future  that  I  am 
longing  for  the  now  of  her  presence."  He  paused 
for  a  moment,  and  Dorothy  dared  not  trust  her- 
self to  speak  ;  she  could  only  cling  to  him  in 
mute  understanding  of  the  loneliness  of  his  life. 
He  stroked  her  hair  softly,  and  after  awhile  con- 
tinued :  "  You  have  been  the  comfort  of  my  life, 
my  daughter — my  dear  little  daughter — but  you 
will  understand  some  day,  and  I  only  want  you  not 
to  grieve  should  the  fate  of  some  of  those  poor 
lads  come  to  me.  You  know  I  am  on  the  field 
sometimes — you  will  remember,  child — and  go  now 
and   see   that   everything    is    ready   for    Bobbie's 

6  73 


"  Bobbie." 

comincr,  for  I  am   sure  he  will  be  here,  and  when 
he  comes  I  want  to  have  a  talk  with  him." 

She  kissed  her  father  in  silence  again  and  again, 
and  then  she  left  the  room  ;  but  the  awful  possi- 
bilities which  his  words  suggested  filled  her  with 
unutterable  sorrow  and  loneliness,  and,  like  a 
child  that  longs  for  warmth  and  cheer  and  com- 
forting, she  sank  down  on  the  rug  in  front  of  the 
big  blazing  fire,  and  her  lips  quivered  in  her  great 
longing  for  Bobbie.  She  clasped  her  knees 
loosely  with  her  hands,  and  the  fiames  danced 
merrily  up  and  down  before  her  blurred  eyes. 
The  corners  of  the  room  were  lost  in  shadows, 
and  the  fiicker  of  the  firelight  played  upon  the 
walls.  It  would  be  such  a  relief  to  give  way  and 
have  a  good  cry.  She  bit  her  lip  to  keep  it  back  ; 
and  then  she  heard  a  little  noise,  and  somebody 
had  his  arms  about  her  and  was  down  on  his  knees 
beside  her,  and  outside  she  could  hear  Sallie  Tom 
snorting,  and  Bobbie  was  telling  her,  almost  out 
of  breath,  that  he  had  ridden  like  the  wind  all  day 
and  all  night  just  to  spend  a  few  hours  with  her,  and 

74 


"  Bobbie." 

why  didn't  she  speak  to  him  and  tell  him  she 
was  glad  to  see  him  ?  And  all  she  could  do 
at  first  was  to  cling  to  him,  and  let  all  the  pent- 
up  feeling  and  anxiety  of  the  months  past  come 
out  between  the  laughter  and  tears  ;  and  Bobbie 
understood  it  all,  and  soothed  and  quieted  her  as 
only  he  could  do,  and  in  a  little  while  she  was  her 
own  brave  self,  and  was  makine  him  answer  a 
dozen  questions  at  once.  She  might  have  kept 
it  up  indefinitely  had  he  not  told  her  he  was 
starving,  and  that  sent  her  flying  for  SalUe 
Tom. 

It  promised  to  be  such  a  happy  Christmas,  after 
all.  The  knowledge  that  this  brief  return  of  other 
days  could  last  but  a  short  while  made  every  mo- 
ment precious,  and  such  old-time  doings  as  Bobbie 
insisted  upon  keeping  up  made  them  forget,  for  a 
few  hours,  at  least,  the  serious  outlook  for  the 
future.  It  was  just  before  dinner  on  Christmas- 
Day  that  Bobbie  came  to  Dorothy  with  a  face  full 
of  intensely  repressed  feeling.  She  was  standing 
by  the  big  window  in  the   library   watching  the 

7? 


"  Bobbie." 

snow,  now  fast  falling  and  thickly  covering  the 
ground,  and  he  went  up  to  her  and  took  both  of  her 
hands  in  his.  "Dorothy,"  he  said  quietly,  "has 
your  father  said  anything  to  you  to-day  about  our 
marriage  ?" 

"  Not  a  word,"  she  answered,  turning  quickly 
and  searching  his  face  for  the  meaning  of  the  new 
light  there.  "  We  must  not  worry  him  about  it, 
Bobbie  ;  he  has  had  so  much  sorrow  in  his  life 
that  I  dare  not  ask  him  to  give  me  entirely  to  you. 
We  can  afford  to  wait." 

"But  if  he  says  he  wishes  it  now,  to-day,  would 
you  be  willing  ?  "  He  drew  her  down  on  the  sofa 
by  him.  "  I  have  just  had  a  long  talk  with  your 
father,"  he  continued,  "and  he  told  me  that  he 
would  like  us  to  be  married  at  once,  while  he  is 
at  home  and  we  are  all  together."  He  almost 
crushed  her  hands  in  his  as  he  waited  her  answer, 
controlling  by  a  great  effort,  his  old  boyish  and 
imperious  impatience. 

"  Dear  father,"  she  said,  and  her  eyes  were  full 
of  tears,   "  I  must  see  him  first,  and  then  I  will 

76 


Annie  tnnrhed  Dori'thy  mt  tlu   urnt   and  puintid  to  <i  sheet  near  by. 
(See  page  io6) 


"Bobbie." 

tell  you,  Bobbie.  It  is  so  sudden  ;  and  to  be  mar- 
ried in  such  a  hurry  don't  seem  just  right  some- 
how." His  look  of  disappointment  reproached 
her.  She  put  her  hand  upon  his  face  in  the  quaint 
way  peculiar  to  herself  for  just  a  moment,  and 
then  she  drew  herself  away. 

She  would  not  let  him  go  with  her,  and  it  was 
fully  half  an  hour  before  she  came  back,  bringing 
her  father  with  her.  Both  showed  the  traces  of 
how  tender  had  been  the  talk  between  them,  and 
both  were  very  quiet.  Dr.  Trevillian  led  her  to 
Bobbie,  and  put  her  hands  in  his.  "She  agrees 
to  our  plans,  my  son,"  he  said,  trying  to  speak 
brightly,  and  then  he  turned  abruptly  and  left 
them  alone. 

"  You  are  not  marrying  your  general,  Doro- 
thy," said  Bobbie,  presently.  "What  are  you 
going  to  do  about  it  ?" 

"  Send  off  his  scout  to-night  to  report  to  his 
general  for  new  orders,"  she  answered,  trying  to 
speak  bravely,  "  but  now  we  must  hurry,"  and  her 
face  colored  richly  as  she  ran  out  of  the  room. 

79 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

^l 

t^AD  a  bomb  been  exploded  at  "White 

Point,"  the  excitement  could  hardly 
have  been  greater  than  that  caused 
by  Bobbie's  annoimcement  that  the 
marriage  would  occur  that  night.  Such  hurry- 
ing and  scurrying  for  the  numberless  prepara- 
tions which  Sallie  Tom  insisted  should  be  made 
had  not  been  seen  since  the  war  began  Peter 
Black  could  hardly  saddle  the  horse,  in  such  a 
tremor  was  he  over  the  great  news,  and  Colonel 
and  Mrs.  Tayloe  were  gratefully  pleased  that  the 
marriage  should  be  consummated  even  in  such  an 
unexpected  way. 

And  now,  while  Bobbie  was  riding  like  mad 
throuQrh  the  fast-fallino-  snow  and  eatherine  dark- 
ness,  Dorothy  and  his  mother  were  deep  in  the 
mysteries  of  certain  old  trunks,  which  in  the  be- 

80 


"  Bobbie." 

ginning  of  the  war  had  been  brought  over  from 
"  Grey  Cliffs,"  and  in  one  of  which  lay  her  mother's 
wedding  gown  and  veil. 

It  was  a  good  five  miles  to  the  court-house, 
near  which,  fortunately,  was  the  minister's  home  ; 
and  though  it  was  bitterly  cold,  and  the  snow  cut 
like  ice  in  his  face,  Bobbie  knew  and  felt  nothing 
save  the  unutterable  happiness  that  filled  his 
heart.  He  had  made  Peter  Black  stay  at  home 
to  help  the  women  folks,  and  on  he  rode  madly. 
He  stopped  only  long  enough  at  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Miles' s  house  to  tell  the  dear  old  gfentleman  that 
his  services  would  be  needed  at  once,  and  to  get 
his  promise  to  go  over  with  all  the  family  to  the 
wedding.  "Bundle  them  up  in  the  sleigh,  and 
take  the  whole  business  over,"  he  called,  as  he 
rode  off,  scarcely  waiting  to  take  breath.  "We 
can't  have  much  of  a  frolic,  but  you  all  must  be 
there." 

It  took  quite  a  long  time  to  get  through  at  the 
court-house.  The  old  clerk  was  indulo-ina  in 
his  one  and  only  dissipation  of  the  year,  and  fully 


"  Bobbie." 

an  hour  was  lost  in  finding-  him  and  one  or  two 
others,  and  getting  the  Hcense  ready.  The 
Reverend  Doctor  and  his  family  had  already 
started  when  Bobbie  passed  his  way  again.  He 
stopped  for  a  moment  to  find  out,  and  then  de- 
cided to  make  a  short  cut  for  home. 

The  wedding  had  been  fixed  for  nine  o'clock, 
Sallie  Tom  declaring  it  was  "  monstrous  "  to  talk 
of  "gettin'  up  a  weddin'  supper  in  ten  minutes," 
and  they  had  laughingly  agreed  to  the  hour  she 
set.  From  the  time  Bobbie  left,  Sallie  Tom  begran 
bossing  the  whole  affair,  and  soon  everybody  in 
the  house  was  running  at  her  command.  Uncle 
Lias's  rheumatism  was  pretty  bad,  but  she  showed 
him  no  mercy,  and  gave  the  parlors  to  him  to  fix 
up  right.  Every  stick  of  wood  she  knew  it  was 
necessary  to  watch,  but  this  "was  Mars'  Bobbie's 
weddin'  night,  and  they  should  have  as  much  fire 
as  they  wanted,  if  they  friz  for  it  the  rest  of  their 
lives,"  she  thundered  to  Uncle  Lias,  who  ventured 
to  remonstrate  on  her  reckless  prodigality  in  heap- 
ing up  the  logs  in  the  great  fire-places  in  the  par- 

82 


"  Bobbie." 

lors.      Peter   Black  was   piling    the    mantels  and 
pictures  with  beautiful  holly  and  mistletoe  ;  and 
between  the  windows  where  the  ceremony  was  to 
take  place  he  had   placed  the  white  silken  cush- 
ions   on    which    his    young    master's    father    and 
mother    had    knelt    when   they   were  married  so 
many  years  ago.     Fortunately,  Anne  Carter  had 
come   over    just   after  Bobbie   left — pretty  Anne 
Carter,  Dorothy's  dear  friend  and  almost  sister — 
and  under  her  fingers  the   rooms  began  to  wear 
the   festive   look  of  other  days.     The   great  wax 
candles  sputtered  for  a  moment,  and  then  flared 
up  bravely  in  the  beautiful  old  silver  candlesticks, 
and  soon   the  rooms   were  a  tiood  of  warm,  rich 
light.     Anne  surveyed  them  for  a  moment,  then 
ran    up-stairs    to    report    the    progress  made   to 
Dorothy.      "  Sallie  Tom   is  snorting  like   an  old 
porpoise,"   she  declared,  sitting  down  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  fingering  almost  reverently  the  beauti- 
ful old  lace  veil  lying  on   the  bed,  and   stroking 
softly    the  quaint,   old-fashioned   wedding  gown. 
"She  seems  on  the  eve  of  spontaneous  combus- 

83 


"  Bobbie." 

tion,  but  the  dining  room  is  a  sight  to  behold  ! 
Where  in  the  name  of  reason  she  has  raked  up 
all  those  good  things  to  eat  will  ever  be  one  of 
the  mysteries  of  life  to  me.  It  looks  so  much 
like  old  times,"  she  went  on,  still  handling  the 
soft,  pretty  things  composing  the  bridal  outfit, 
"that  it  makes  me  positively  sick  to  think  of  the 
awful  chano-e.  You  know  we've  been  on  half 
rations  for  months,  and  how  we're  going  to  hold 
out  is  beyond  my  ken.  Sallie  Tom  always  was 
an  uncanny  old  animal,  anyhow,  and  I  believe 
she's  cunjured  those  things  from  the  man  in  the 
moon  ;  but  the  very  smell  has  made  me  disgrace- 
fully hungry,  and  I  wish  Bobbie  would  make 
haste  and  come,  so  we  can  begin  on  the  supper." 
Dorothy  laughed  a  little,  and  looked  up  at  the 
clock.  "He  ought  to  be  here  now,"  she  said  ; 
"it's  seven,  and  he's  had  plenty  of  time  to  get 
back."  "  Perhaps  the  Yanks  have  nabbed  him," 
suggested  Anne,  getting  up  and  giving  a  last 
touch  to  the  silk  stockings.  "  Father  wrote  us, 
some  time  aeo,  he  thoug-ht  our  section  would  be 


"  Bobbie." 

visited  soon,  and  to  look  out  for  the  raiders,  as 
he  called  them." 

Dorothy  turned  white  to  her  lips,  and  caught 
hold  of  the  chair  nearest  to  her,  while  her  voice 
died  away  in  her  throat ;  and  Anne,  turning,  saw 
at  once  the  effect  of  her  thoughtless  words. 
"  Why,  Dorothy,"  she  cried,  going  straight  to  her 
and  putting  her  hands  on  her  shoulders,  "  you 
didn't  think  I  was  in  earnest — I  was  joking,  of 
course.  You  know  there's  no  danger  way  off 
here,  and  Robbie  is  as  safe  as  I  am.  For  heaven's 
sake,  don't  look  like  that!"  Dorothy  smiled 
faintly,  and  the  color  came  slowly  back  to  her  face. 
"  I  don't  know  what  is  the  matter,  but  I  have  the 
most  curious  feeling  that  something  is  going  to 
happen — -what — what  was  that?"  she  cried  ner- 
vously, catching  Anne  by  the  arm.  ''I'm  sure  I 
don't  know,"  answered  Anne;  "but  I  must  say 
going  to  get  married  is  having  a  curious  effect 
on  you  ;  now  do  hurry  and  get  into  the  wedding 
garments,"  she  went  on,  kissing  her  hurriedly, 
"  while  I  go  and  see  who's  arrived.     I  don't  doubt 

85 


"  Bobbie." 

Bobbie  has  "hollered"  at  every  house  in  the  neigh- 
borhood as  he  passed  by — now  hurry,  do,"  and 
Anne  ran  hastily  down-stairs,  her  heart  beating 
a  little  faster  than  usual  at  the  noises  she  heard 
outside.      It   was    only   the   Rev.   Dr.    Miles   and 
family,      owever,  and  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Tayloe, 
with    Dr.    Trevillian,    were    welcoming-    them    in 
hearty,  hospitable   fashion  when  she  reached  the 
door.       "Where    is    Bobbie?"    she    called    out, 
almost  before  speaking  ;    "Didn't  he  come  with 
you?"      "No;  he  went  on  to  the  court-house," 
answered  Mrs.  Miles,  brushing  the  snow  carefully 
from  her  best  silk  gown  ;   "and  if  poor  old  Mr. 
Turpin  is  in  his  usual  Christmas  condition  it  will 
take  some  time  to  make  out  what  Bobbie  wants." 
Anne  saw  the  uneasiness  Mrs.  Tayloe  was  try- 
ing so  hard  to  conceal,  and  knew  that   to  keep 
everybody   from   crying   everybody   must   laugh, 
and  she  began  in  her  own  inimitable  way  to  start 
the   ball  rolling-,     The   Rutherfoords  had   gotten 
over,   Bobbie    having  called   to  them,  they   said, 
also   Mrs.  Trent  and  her  daughter;  and  Colonel 

86 


"  Bobbie." 

Tayloe  and  the  Doctor  were  besieged  by  the 
women  for  news  of  the  war.  Every  household 
in  the  county  had  one  or  more  members  in  the 
army,  and  every  item  of  the  hte,  with  all  its  hard- 
ships and  its  every  exciting  detail,  was  eagerly 
sought  after. 

Dorothy  was  still  up  in  her  room,  now  fully 
dressed  for  the  ceremony.  Like  a  quaint,  sweet 
picture  of  a  day  gone  by,  she  stood  in  her 
mother's  wedding  gown  waiting  for  Bobbie, 

Anne  Carter  held  her  off  at  arm's  length  and 
surveyed  her  critically,  from  the  two  provokino^ 
little  curls  that  wouldn't  lie  smooth  under  the 
beautiful  veil  to  the  tiny  satin  slippers  that  rest- 
lessly  slipped  out  now  and  then  under  the  gown, 
and  then  she  kissed  her  hastily.  ''I  never  knew 
before  exactly  how  wickedly  good-looking  you 
were,  Dorothy  Trevillian — it's  a  shame  to  be 
married  with  nobody  but  dear  old  Dr.  Miles  and 
his  family,  and  old  Mrs.  Rutherfoord  and  her 
maidens  three,  and  pious  Mrs.  Trent  and  that 
proper  daughter  of  hers,  to  see  you.      Not  a  man 

87 


"  Bobbie." 

down-stairs  except  the  two  fathers.  "  Heigho ! 
what's  that?"  In  a  flash  she  was  gone,  and 
Dorothy,  left  standing  at  the  open  door,  Hstened. 
The  parlor  doors  were  thrown  wide  open,  and 
Sallie  Tom  rushed  wildly  in.  "  Gord  A'mighty !  " 
see  cried  hoarsely,  clutching  first  at  the  Colonel 
and  then  at  the  Doctor,  ''  Gord  A'mighty,  get 
out  o'  heah,  Mars'  Robert,  and  tek  de  Doctor  wid 
you — dey  done  come.  Peter  Black  seen  six  of 
'em  down  de  road  whar  he  gone  to  look  fur 
Mars'  Bobbie ;  dey  on  dere  way  heah — he  heah'd 
dem  talkin'  'bout  how  to  git  heah.  For  Gord's 
sake,  hurry  up  in  de  loft,  top  o'  de  garrer,  and  I'll 
manage  so  dey  won't  fine  you.  Dey  got  orders 
to  'rest  you  all,  and  mos'  special  Mars'  Bobbie, 
whar  got  some  papers.  Peter  Black  heah'd  'em 
say  so.  Move  'long,  all  o'  you,  and  help  put  out 
dese  lights  and  shet  dese  rooms  up,  so  dey  won't 
ketch  on  to  nothin'  special.  You  mus'  tell  'em," 
she  said,  turning  to  Mrs.  Tayloe,  who,  white  as  a 
sheet,  was  sitting  perfectly  limp  in  her  chair, 
"you  mus'  tell  'em  de  parson  is  a  goin'  to  tek  his 


"  Bobbie." 

Christmas  supper  wid  you,  and  dese  heah  friends, 
too.  Go  'long  in  de  libr'y  and  shet  up  dis  heah 
part  de  house," 

Every  hand  was  instantly  at  work,  and  in  a 
minute  or  two  only  the  smoldering  fires  gave 
evidence  of  the  rooms  having  been  used.  Colo- 
nel Tayloe  and  the  Doctor  had  exchanged  a  few 
hurried  words.  They  mortally  hated  to  hide  in 
the  loft,  but  it  was  their  only  resource.  If  found, 
it  would  mean  new  anxiety  and  disaster  to  the 
women.     They  must  take  Sallie  Tom's  advice. 

It  took  but  a  minute  to  reach  the  garret,  and 
there  through  an  opening  she  thrust  them  into  a 
side  loft  and  closed  the  door,  drawing  a  line  filled 
with  old  and  long-disused  garments  across  it,  so 
that,  unless  closely  inspected,  the  door  was  not 
apt  to  be  seen. 

Down- stairs  the  utmost  confusion  reigned  su- 
preme. Mrs.  Tayloe's  chief  thought  was  Bobbie, 
but  by  a  superhuman  effort  she  managed  to  con- 
quer herself,  and  think  what  was  best  to  be  done. 
The  Miles  children  were  crying,  but  were  ordered 


"  Bobbie." 

by  Anne  to  keep  quiet,  and  if  they  dared  speak 
a  word  the  soldiers  would  eat  them  alive. 

Quickly  the  dining  room  was  dispossessed  of 
all  the  wedding  paraphernalia,  and  only  the  neces- 
sities of  a  ministerial  tea  remained. 

Dorothy  had  heard  the  confusion,  and  before 
Anne  could  reach  her  the  wedding  garments 
were  off,  and  she,  in  her  usual  quiet  dress, 
was  hurriedly  putting  them  back  in  the  trunks. 
"They  will  search  the  entire  house,"  she  said  in 
answer  to  Anne's  look  of  astonishment,  "and 
they  must  see  nothing  that  would  give  them  an 
idea  of  anything  unusual  going  on." 

Dorothy  was  herself  now,  quiet  and  brave,  and 
ready  for  whatever  might  await  her.  The  last 
thing  had  hardly  been  put  away,  the  room 
straightened  and  the  lights  lowered,  before  they 
heard  the  muffled  sound  of  horses'  hoofs  upon 
the  snow  outside,  and  soon  a  thunderous  knock 
at  the  door,  Through  the  blinds  they  had  seen 
several  horsemen,  one  of  whom  seemed  to  be 
giving  directions  to  the  others. 

go 


"  Bobbie." 

Dorothy  slipped  down  the  stairs,  and  for  a 
moment  looked  into  the  library.  "  Please  do  not 
look  so  frightened,"  she  called  to  the  others, 
"  Sallie  Tom  and  I  will  manage."  Then  she  went 
on  to  the  door.  A  furious  gust  of  wind  blew 
wildly  around  the  corner  of  the  house,  and  a 
voice  outside  called  out :  ''  There  is  no  use  in 
resisting,  you  might  as  well  open  at  once." 
Dorothy  pushed  Sallie  Tom  aside,  and  threw 
open  the  door.  Two  officers  stood  without  with 
pistols  in  hand,  and  as  the  light  fell  full  upon  the 
slight,  girlish  figure  standing  in  the  doorway,  they 
drew  back,  as  if  startled  themselves.  For  a 
moment  no  one  spoke,  then  the  taller  of  the  two 
stepped  forward  and  lifted  his  cap.  "I  am  sorry 
to  trouble  you,"  he  said  courteously,  putting  his 
pistol  in  his  belt  as  he  spoke,  "but  I  understand 
General  H.'s  scout,  Robert  F.  Taylor,  is  here, 
and  we  are  under  orders  to  search  the  house,  and 
produce  him,  if  possible,  and  also  any  other  sol- 
diers who  may  be  found  here." 

Sallie    Tom    gave    a    m.ost    vicious  snort,  and 

91 


"  Bobbie." 

Dorothy  laid  her  hands  upon  her.  ''You  are  at 
perfect  hberty  to  search  the  house,  gentlemen," 
she  said  quietly,  trying  hard  to  control  her  voice, 
as  she  motioned  them  to  enter  that  she  mio-ht 
close  the  door,  ''  but  I  am  afraid  you  will  have  your 
trouble  for  nothing,  you  are  just  a  little  too  late  ; 
the  gentleman  you  are  looking  for  did  take  his 
Christmas  dinner  with  us,  but  that  was  five  hours 
ago  ;  ne  left  immediately  afterwards."  She 
looked  up  almost  provokingly  into  their  faces, 
and  the  least  bit  of  a  smile  quivered  on  her  lips, 
as  the  officers  exchano-ed  elances. 

It  was  impossible  that  this  slip  of  a  girl,  this 
beautiful  thing,  could  be  fooling  them.  They 
must  search  the  house  anyhow — could  they  be 
allowed  at  once  ? 

"Certainly,"  she  answered  promptly,  "  Sallie 
Tom  will  show  you  every  inch  of  it."  'Tt  is 
terribly  cold,"  she  continued,  seeing  them  rub 
their  hands  together,  "won't  you  let  the  rest  of 
the  men  come  in  also  ?  they  can  at  least  get 
warm  while  waiting." 

92 


"  Bobbie." 

"  Oh,  they  don't  mind,"  one  of  them  smiHngly 
rejoined,  "they  are  accustomed  to  waiting,  and 
cold,  too,  and  besides  I  would  not  care  to  fill  your 
whole  house." 

"I  hardly  think  half  a  dozen  men  would  do 
that,"  she  answered  gravely.  "  I  suppose  you 
would  like  to  begin  your  search  at  once,  however," 
she  continued  as  she  threw  open  the  parlor  door. 
"You  can  walk  in  and  examine  at  your  leisure. 
You  will  pardon  my  leaving  you,  we  have  friends 
to  tea.  Sallie  Tom  will  show  you  every  inch  of 
space  in  the  house."  She  bowed  to  them  courte- 
ously and  left. 

The  two  men  looked  at  each  other  blankly  for 
a  moment,  and  then  the  younger  one  began  to 
laugh  at  the  expression  on  the  other  man's  face. 
"This  beats  my  time,"  he  said  softly  to  the  one 
in  command — a  lieutenant,  evidently,  from  his 
uniform.  They  lowered  their  voices  so  that 
Sallie  Tom  couldn't  hear.  '  I'll  bet  an  even  hun- 
dred that  fellow's  about  here  somewhere,  and 
that   girl's   determined   to   save   him.     She's   the 

93 


"  Bobbie." 

coolest  thing  I've  struck  since  I  entered  the  ser- 
vice, and  by  long  odds  the  prettiest.  Did  you 
notice  her  eyes?"  "Hush,"  said  the  other, 
"  that  old  woman's  a  regular  hawk,  she's  pre- 
tending not  to  notice.  Come,  we  must  search 
the  house  thoroughly,  though  it's  a  nasty  piece  of 
business.  I  wish  that  girl  hadn't  been  so  polite. 
The  two  men  began  to  walk  around  the  room, 
looking  more  at  the  many  old  and  elegant  things 
it  contained,  than  with  any  expectation  of  finding 
a  clue  here  to  the  hiding  place  of  any  rebels  that 
might  be  in  the  house.  Their  looks  and  bearing 
gave  evidence  that  they  were  gentlemen,  who, 
while  they  disliked  their  invasion  of  private  prop- 
erty, were  determined  to  obey  to  the  letter  the 
orders  they  had  undertaken  to  fill.  These  orders 
were    to    capture   the   daring   scout    of    General 

H and    bring   him  to  where  their  company 

was  camping  temporarily,  some  five  miles  below 
"White  Point." 

A   scouting  party  of  some  six   or  seven  men, 
under  their  young  lieutenant,  had  voluntered  to 

94 


''  Bobbie." 

make  this  capture,  if  possible,  having  heard  that 
young  Taylor,  as  they  thought  the  name  was, 
would  no  doubt  spend  his  Christmas  at  home. 
They  knew  very  well  the  importance  attached  to 
this  holiday  by  the  Southern  people,  and  what  a 
time  for  home-coming  it  was,  and  were  confident 
of  springing  a  trap  and  catching  their  unwary 
victim  in  it.  So  confident  of  success  had  they 
been,  that  they  would  take  only  some  six  or 
seven  in  their  party,  and  now  to  be  met  in  this 
coolly  prepared-for  manner,  and  by  such  a  de- 
moralizing pretty  girl,  was  upsetting  to  their  sol- 
dierly dignity  and  calculations.  They  moved 
slowly  round  the  room  for  a  minute  or  two,  talk- 
ing in  an  undertone.  Sallie  Tom,  snorting  in  a 
suppressed  kind  of  way,  was  walking  about  mov- 
ing chairs  and  sofas,  shaking  out  curtains,  and 
opening  the  doors  of  cabinets  full  of  bric-a-brac, 
but  still  not  a  word  did  she  utter.  How  on  earth 
was  she  going  to  keep  Bobbie  away,  and  give 
him  the  signal  of  danger,  was  what  she  was  turn- 
ing over  in  her  mind.      Her    cabin  was  a  good 

95 


"  Bobbie." 

distance  from  the  house.  If  she  could  only  get 
there  without  exciting  suspicion,  or  if  Peter  Black 
had  already  gotten  there  with  Dorothy's  mes- 
sage, all  might  yet  be  well.  She  lifted  herself  up 
straight  and  chano-ed  her  tactics — that  is,  she 
ceased  to  snort ;  she  would  do  the  amiable  act. 
It  was  Christmas  night ;  perhaps  she  could  make 
the  whole  crowd  drunk  ;  and,  if  so,  the  Colonel 
and  Doctor  could  slip  off  with  Bobbie. 


q6 


CHAPTER  IX. 

.^AS  you  gent'men  seen  everything  in 
dis  heah  room  what  you  would 
like  to  ?  "  She  gave  a  low,  cheer- 
ful, seductive  kind  of  laugh  as  she 
asked  the  question,  resting  her  hands  on  her  hips 
and  looking  at  first  one  and  then  the  other, 
"'cause  we've  got  a  pow'ful  lot  of  rooms  in  dis 
heah  house,  and  if  you  wants  to  get  back  to  your 
Christmas-tree  I  reckon  we'd  better  be  a  movin'." 
The  two  men  looked  at  her  as  a  fresh  kind 
of  curiosity  and  laughed.  "Oh,  I  guess  there 
isn't  much  use  in  hurrying,"  one  answered  ;  "it's 
right  uncomfortable  to  be  hidden  somewhere, 
and  you  all  might  as  well  make  up  your  minds 
to  give  up  the  young  gentleman  ;  he  can't  possi- 
bly escape,  you  know.  We've  got  men  all  out- 
side the  house.  It  would  be  dangerous  for  him 
to  try  ;  he  might  get  shot. " 

97 


'*  Bobbie." 

Sallie  Tom  clutched  her  hands  angrily  together 
under  her  apron.  She  had  an  intense  desire  to  wring 
their  necks,  the  little  whippersnappers,  she  mut- 
tered under  her  breath.  Give  up  Mars'  Bobbie  ? 
Not  as  long  as  a  drop  of  blood  was  in  her  veins ; 
but  outwardly  she  gave  no  sign.  "  Yes,  I  seen 
you  is  got  a  pow'fullot  of  men  outside/'  she  said, 
chuckling  as  if  highly  amused.  "  I  counted  you 
when  you  comed  up,  an'  dere's  six  of  you  ;  you 
two  is  in  heah,  an'  de  other  fo'  is  at  de  fo'  corner's 
of  de  house.  Lordy,  gent'mens,  you  all  sutny 
don't  know  nothin'  'bout  dis  heah  place  when 
you  comes  up  wid  six  men  to  frighten  a  lot  of 
women  folks.  Dis  heah  place  is  'White  Point,' 
an'  we  all  is  jes  ez  used  to  seein'  men  'round 
heah  ez  flies  in  summer.  Why,  our  Mars'  Tayloe 
didn't  think  nothin'  o'  callin'  up  a  hundred  head 
o'  niggers  at  a  time  an'  givin'  'em  eggnog  an' 
sich  on  Christmas.  You  all  oughter  bringed  up 
suppin'  what  would  a-looked  like  suppin'  when 
you  was  a-comin';  but  I  don't  s'pose  you  all  is 
frum  anywhar    near  dese    heah    parts,    an'    cose 

98 


"  Bobbie." 

you  didn't  kno'  no  better."       Sallie  Tom's  cheer- 
fully condescending  tone  was  irresistible. 

The  two  men  laughed  in  spite  of  them- 
selves. "  We  acknowledge  our  ignorance,  old 
woman,"  the  Lieutenant  answered,  "and  now, 
as  I  don't  think  our  friend  is  in  any  of  these 
chairs  or  sofas,  we  would  like  to  move  on." 
Sallie  Tom  opened  the  door  and  they  walked 
into  the  hall.  A  cheerful  light  from  the  library 
streamed  out,  and  the  laughing  and  talking 
sounded  as  if  the  inmates  were  entirely  unin- 
terested in  the  search  beinof  made  through  the 
house  The  two  men  stopped  instinctively  at  the 
door  and  bowed  politely.  Dorothy  sprang  from 
her  chair  and  came  toward  them,  also  Anne 
Carter,  and  whatever  was  in  their  hearts,  they 
concealed  it  well. 

"  You  wish  to  search  these  rooms  ?  "  said  Doro-' 
thy,  pleasantly.      "  Don't  hesitate  to  do  so.     Our 
pastor  is  taking  his   Christmas   tea  with  us,    also 
a  few  other  friends,  and  that  is  why  I  cannot  go 
with  you  over  the  house — unless  they  will  excuse 

99 


"  Bobbie." 

me.  Let's  go  anyhow,  Anne,"  she  added,  turn- 
ing quickly  to  her  friend.  "  I've  told  you  it  would 
be  useless,  however,"  she  went  on.  "  Mr.  Tayloe 
left  here  five  hours  ago  ;  but  of  course  you  must 
go  through  the  house,  and  we  might  show  you 
some  nooks  and  corners  Sallie  Tom  would  pos- 
sibly leave  out."  The  two  men  glanced  at  each 
other,  then  accepted  Dorothy's  offer  with  thanks. 
It  would  certainly  do  no  harm  to  have  two  pretty 
girls  go  along.  They  looked  around  the  com- 
fortable, homelike  rooms  a  little  longingly  ;  how 
cosy  everything  was,  aud  how  good  that  coffee 
smelt !  One  of  them  involuntarily  sniffed  it  and 
Mrs.  Tayloe  saw  it,  and  her  hospitable  soul  for- 
got for  a  moment  they  were  soldiers  hunting  for 
her  boy.  They  were  some  other  mother's  boys, 
and  she  came  forward  in  her  sweet,  gracious 
way,  full  of  such  quiet  dignity  that  the  rudest 
boor  would  have  felt  its  power.  "It  is  very 
cold,"  she  said,  interrupting  them  as  they  stood 
talking  together  at  the  door  ;  "  will  not  you  gen- 
tlemen have  a  cup  of  coffee?"     The  Lieutenant 


"  Bobbie." 

and  his  Sergeant  drew  back  a  little,  as  if  they  had 
not  heard  aright.  They  had  read  a  great  deal 
about  Southern  hospitality,  but  it  quite  upset 
them  to  be  offered  it  under  such  circumstances. 
Sallle  Tom  had  drawn  Dorothy  aside,  and  was 
saying  something  in  an  undertone  ;  but  the  latter 
had  heard  Mrs.  Tayloe's  question,  and  she  an- 
swered it  for  them. 

"Of  course  they  will,"  she  brrke  in.  'T'm 
sure  they  are  hungry  and  thirsty  too,  and  I  know 
they  will  have  some  supper  after  we  get  through 
the  search  ;  but  we  must  do  that  first.  Sallie 
Tom  will  lead  the  way,  the  gentlemen  will  follow, 
and  Anne  and  I  will  bring  up  the  rear." 

Laughingly  they  left  the  room,  and  faithfully 
did  Sallie  Tom  pilot  them  into  every  nook  and 
corner.  Every  closet  was  opened  and  every  big 
box  explored.  Those  left  down-stairs  in  the 
library  listened  with  beating  hearts  and  strained 
ears  to  every  step,  and  when  at  last  they  were 
heard  mounting  the  garret  stairs  Mrs.  Tayloe 
sank  helplessly  in  her  chair  and   buried  her  face 


"  Bobbie." 

in  her  hands.  Down  through  the  halls  sounded 
the  apparently  merry  laughter  of  the  girls,  joined 
in  now  and  then  by  the  two  young  officers,  who 
were  becoming  momentarily  more  and  more 
impressed  that  they  were  making  guys  of  them- 
selves, and  were  being  laughed  at  good-naturedly 
for  their  pains.  Notwithstanding  all  this,  how- 
ever, very  faithfully  they  performed  their  part, 
and  not  a  nook  lacked  investigation.  When  they 
reached  the  garret  stairs  Sallie  Tom  began  to 
mount  as  unconcernedly  as  she  had  shown  every 
other  part  of  the  house.  She  held  her  lamp  high 
in  hand  and  clattered  noisily  up  the  steps,  as  if 
to  give  fair  warning  to  the  men  hidden  in  the  loft 
that  their  very  breath  must  be  held  during  the 
search.  The  men  followed  a  little  indifferently. 
It  was  evident  they  were  having  their  trouble  for 
nothing,  and  they  were  anxious  to  get  through. 
Anne  and  Dorothy,  following  behind,  looked  at 
each  other  with  white  faces.  Surely  the  beating 
of  their  hearts  would  be  heard  if  they  stopped 


Navigation  was  a  treacherous  thing  for  some  of  the  hoys  in  blue. 
(See  page  117) 


"  Bobbie." 

laughing  and  talking.  The  farce  must  be  kept 
up  a  little  longer. 

"  I  suppose  this  is  where  the  family  ghosts  are 
kept,"  said  the  younger  of  the  two  men,  as  they 
began  to  mount  the  steps.  "I  should  think, 
however,  they  would  soon  be  pretty  well  frozen 
out  up  here." 

"Not  a  bit  of  it,"  answered  Dorothy,  laughing 
a  little  recklessly,  "we  have  some  most  interest- 
inor  cases  in  the  family,  and  this  is  their  principal 
scene  of  action.  This  is  my  first  visit  up  here 
after  dark  since  I  was  so  frightened  when  a  child. 
It  always  gives  me  the  creeps  to  think  of  the 
place  at  night." 

"  Then  we  feel  highly  honored  at  your  presence 
with  us,"  answered  the  Lieutenant,  making  a  pro- 
found bow,  as  they  reached  the  landing  at  the 
top  of  the  steps.  "I  wish  I  knew  some  of  these 
wonderful  ghost  stories  that  I  hear  are  peculiar 
to  this  part  of  the  country,  and  I  would  give 
something  pretty  to  see  one  of  your  ghosts." 

Sallie  Tom  pushed  open  the  door,  and  they  all 
8  105 


"Bobbie." 

entered.  The  long,  low-pitched  room  with  its 
four  dormer  windows,  stretched  out  into  huge 
weird  dimensions  as  they  stood  silently  for  a 
moment  looking  around,  and  then  the  men  slipped 
farther  in.  Sallie  Tom  followed  and  held  her 
lamp  high  in  hand,  and  the  light  fell  so  as  to 
cause  the  opening  to  the  loft  to  be  cast  in  such  a 
shadow  that  it  could  not  be  distinguished  from 
the  rest  of  the  wall.  All  around  the  room  were 
great  packing-trunks  and  cases,  and  from  ropes 
stretched  from  side  to  side  hung  various  pieces 
of  old  clothing  and  bed  covering.  The  room  was 
completely  dark  save  for  the  stream  of  light  cast 
by  the  lamp,  and  a  gruesome,  uncanny  feeling 
crept  over  them  all,  as  the  men  wandered  around 
the  room,  poking  behind  this  and  that,  and  turn- 
ing over  old  broken  chairs  and  odd  bits  of  furni- 
ture. Anne  touched  Dorothy  on  the  arm  and 
pointed  to  a  sheet  near  by. 

"Let's  frighten  them,"  she  whispered.  "I'm 
positive  that  little  yellow-haired  thing  smells  a 
rat ;  he'll  find  that  hole  in  the  wall  yet." 

1 06 


"Bobbie." 

Dorothy  nodded  and  clutched  Sallie  Tom  by 
the  dress.  She  pointed  to  Anne,  who  was  softly 
drawing  the  sheet  towards  her.  "  Playing 
ghost !"  she  muttered  under  her  breath;  "you 
shriek  and  run  with  lamp." 

Dorothy  walked  over  to  the  two  officers  and 
began  to  talk.  "This  used  to  be  our  happy 
hunting-ground  when  we  were  children,"  she 
began;  "we  always  played  up  here  on  rainy 
days,  and  such  dressing  in  antique  garments  I 
am  sure  you  have  never  seen — unless,"  she 
added,  politely,  "you  had  a  similar  garret  to 
play  in."  They  were  getting  dangerously  near 
the  entrance  to  the  loft.  "  We  got  frightened 
by  what  we  thought  was  a  ghost  once,  and  we 
never  cared  to  play  here  again.  What — what, 
oh,  what  is  that !  "  she  cried,  clutching  the  sleeve 
of  one  of  the  men.  A  terrific  shriek  from  Sallie 
Tom,  as  she  rushed  wildly  down  the  steps  with 
the  lamp,  made  their  blood  run  cold.  "  Oh, 
Lordy,  Lord  Gord  A'mighty  !  "  she  yelled, 
pitching  like  something  wild,    on,    down,    down, 

I07 


"  Bobbie." 

"until  she  reached  the  library.  "  De  ghostes 
done  come  like  de  trumpet  bin  a'blowed,"  she 
shrieked.  "  Oh,  Lord,  don't  mix  us  up  wid  dem 
inturferin'  Yankees.  Lord  A'mighty,  hab  mercy 
on  us,  dey  come  a'meddlin'  fust.  Oh,  Lordy, 
Lordy  !  "  they  could  hear  her  shriek,  but  fainter 
and  fainter  as  she  neared  the  room  below.  The 
two  men  turned  quickly  at  the  terrific  sound  of 
Sallie  Tom's  voice,  and  though  the  room  was 
inky  black  save  for  the  dim  rays  that  came  from 
the  dormer  windows,  they  saw  creeping  towards 
them  a  flapping,  white-winged  object.  Both  of 
them  caught  Dorothy  with  one  hand,  while  with 
the  other  they  grasped  their  pistols.  A  muffled 
laugh  broke  from  under  the  sheet,  and  in  a 
second  it  was  dropped  and  Anne  shook  it  off 
gaily.  "Now  confess  you  were  frightened,"  she 
cried,  merrily.  "  I  do  believe  you  were  going  to 
shoot  me.  "  I  didn't  think  of  that  when  I  put 
the  sheet  on,  but  that  is  why  I  dropped  it  in  such 
a  hurry.  Did  you  ever  hear  such  a  shriek  as 
Sallie  Tom  gave  ?     She'll   never  forgive  me  for 

io8 


*'  Bobbie." 

this — she's  such  a  firm  beHever  in  'ghostes.'  I 
wish  she  had  left  the  lamp  behind  ;  it's  as  dark  as 
Egypt  up  here,  and  I'm  almost  frozen."  Dorothy 
had  dropped  down  on  the  top  of  a  chesr,  and  ap- 
parently was  quivering  in  every  limb.  The  men 
broke  into  a  relieved  laugh  as  they  put  their 
pistols  back  into  their  belts. 

"  It  was  pretty  cold  up  here  before  the  ghost 
appeared,"  said  the  Lieutenant,  "but  it  makes 
me  hot  all  over  to  think  how  near  I  came  to 
shooting  you.  Great  heaven  !  suppose  I  had  !  " 
The  man's  voice  shook  in  spite  of  himself,  and  he 
wiped  his  face  with  his  handkerchief. 

"  You're  a  plucky  ghost,"  said  the  Sergeant, 
still  trying  to  get  his  pistol  fixed  in  his  belt,  •'  and 
I'm  honest  enough  to  acknowledge  you  frightened 
me  silly.  His  blood  was  still  tingling  from  the 
touch  of  Dorothy's  hands — he  wanted  to  get 
down  to  the  light  where  he  could  see  her  face 
again,  and  he  made  a  move  towards  the  door. 
Dorothy    was    laughing    now,   a   little   foolishly. 

"  It  was  stupid  in  me  to  think  it  was  really  a 
1C9 


"  Bobbie." 

ghost,"  she  said,  rather  apologetically,  "  but  Anne 
ought  not  to  have  frightened  us  like  that.  Are 
you  gentlemen  through  ?  "  she  added,  "  or  shall 
I  call  Sallie  Tom  to  bring  back  the  lamp  ?  " 

"I  don't  think  she  would  come  if  you  called," 
answered  the  Lieutenant.  "  I  oruess  we  have 
taxed  your  patience  quite  long  enough.  Can  I 
help  you  down  the  steps  ?  "  He  turned  to  Anne 
as  he  spoke  and  held  out  his  hand  to  lead  her 
down.  The  Sergeant  did  the  same  for  Dorothy, 
and  soon  they  were  back  in  the  library,  where 
amidst  much  laughter  they  explained  the  cause  of 
Sallie  Tom's  flight.  "  She  is  out  in  the  kitchen 
now,  trying  to  get  supper,"  said  Mrs.  Tayloe, 
breathing  freely  once  more  ;  "  but  I  don't  believe 
you  can  persuade  her  you  are  not  the  genuine 
article,  my  dear,"  She  pressed  Anne  by  the 
hand,  and  the  latter  understood  the  signal. 
''Poor  old  Sallie  Tom,"  she  answered,  getting 
up,  "  I  must  go  and  make  peace  with  her,  or  we 
won't  have  anything  much  for  supper,  I'm  afraid, 
and  I'm  simply,  absolutely  starving."     She  went 


"  Bobbie." 

out  of  the  room  with  a  mock  courtesy,  and  they 
heard  her  calling  to  Sallie  Tom  to  "  look  out  !  the 
'ghostes  '  were  coming  !  "  And  then  the  kitchen 
door  bano-ed. 


CHAPTER  X. 

\T  was  not  a  difficult   matter  to  per- 
suade the  men  to   stay  to  supper. 
Jj^^      Old  Uncle  Lias  kept   piling  up  the 
fire,   and  the    scene   was  so  home- 
like— and  then  it  was  Christmas  night  ! 

"  You  thought  you  were  going  to  frighten  us 
with  your  armed  force,"  said  Dorothy  to  the  Ser- 
geant, who  managed  to  keep  near  her,  "  but  I 
know  you  have  only  four  men  outside,  and  it's  a 
shame  to  keep  them  on  their  horses  on  such  a 
bitter  nieht."  She  walked  over  to  the  window 
and  looked  out.  "It  is  snowing  furiously  !  Why 
don't  you  let  them  come  in  and  have  some  sup- 
per? I  should  hate  to  have  any  of  our  men  out- 
side of  warmth  and  shelter  to-night,"  she  added, 
wondering  miserably  where  Bobbie  then  was. 
''Ask  the  Lieutenant  to  let  them  come  in." 
The  Sergeant  looked  at  her  curiously  ;  surely  she 


"  Bobbie." 

could  not  be  scheming.  He  walked  over  to  the 
Lieutenant  and  repeated  Dorothy's  request. 
They  talked  it  over  for  awhile,  and  then  the 
Lieutenant  accepted  the  invitation  with  thanks. 
The  men  outside  were  men  of  his  own  class,  and 
at  least  would  appreciate  the  courtesy  of  being 
asked  in,  and  the  superior  officer  had  made  up 
his  mind  to  stay  and  see  something  more  of  that 
ghost,  if  possible. 

Women  are  nearly  always  good  actors,  and 
even  the  prim  Misses  Rutherfoord  and  the  proper 
Miss  Trent  nervously  tried  to  appear  in  sympathy 
with  the  reckless  gayety  of  Dorothy  and  Anne, 
who,  when  the  other  four  young  men  came  in, 
received  them  as  they  would  have  done  the 
acquaintances  of  old  friends,  and  the  dining-room 
became  a  scene  of  genuine  Christmas  cheer. 
Dorothy's  hands  shook  as  she  handed  first  one 
and  then  another  dainty  cup  to  their  very  much 
mixed-up  guests  ;  and  if  at  times  her  laughter  was 
a  little  unusually  gay  for  her,  it  was  the  only  way 
she  could  keep  back  the  tears  which  treacherously 

113 


"  Bobbie." 

hung  under  her  lashes.  This  was  to  have  been 
her  wedding  night,  she  thought  bitterly,  between 
the  sharp,  witty  sayings  which  kept  them  all  con- 
vulsively laughing,  and  under  the  table  she  would 
press  her  hands  together  in  an  agony  of  terror, 
as  the  thought  of  what  might  possibly  have  hap- 
pened came  over  her.  She  was  doing  all  this  to 
save  him.  Peter  Black  she  knew  was  hidden 
down  in  the  woods  by  the  road  Bobbie  must 
pass.  They  were  to  go  to  Sallie  Tom's  cabin 
and  stay  there  until  they  heard  from  her.  That 
was  the  message  she  had  sent,  and  now  every 
moment  was  precious,  yet  she  could  not  hurry 
lest  suspicions  be  aroused.  Sallie  Tom  was  still 
snorting  over  the  fright  of  the  ghost,  nevertheless 
her  supper  was  in  no  wise  injured,  and  when  she 
finally  brought  in  a  huge  punch  bowl  filled  to  the 
brim  with  luscious,  foaming  eggnog,  she  was 
greeted  by  a  clapping  of  hands. 

"  Dis  heah  is  suppin'  what  you  ain't  seen 
of 'en,  I  reckon,"  she  said  to  one  of  the  sol- 
diers, as  she  put  it  down  on  the  table  with  an  air 

114 


"  Bobbie." 

of  supreme  satisfaction,  "  dis  heah  am  de  genuine 
artickle  itsef,  ain't  no  mek-believe  'bout  dis,"  she 
continued,  stirringr  the  contents  with  a  handsome 
old  silver  ladle.  "  Dis  am  de  stuff  what  de  quality 
folks  all  drink  in  de  Souf  at  Christmus  times,  and 
de  missus  she  low'd  we  mus'  all  hav  some  to- 
night, even  if  all  de  men  folks  am  away,"  She 
added  the  last  mournfully,  and  as  Dorothy  took 
the  ladle  out  of  her  hands,  she  pressed  Sallie 
Tom's  fingers  in  such  a  way  that  the  latter  under- 
stood, and  shortly  afterwards  left  the  room. 

If  the  Yankee  soldiers  had  never  tried  it  before, 
they  made  up  for  lost  opportunities,  and  though 
the  reverend  parson  walked  restlessly  up  and 
down  the  room,  holding  his  only  partly  touched 
glass  in  his  hand,  he  dared  not  utter  the  protest 
that  his  conscience  told  him  under  other  circum- 
stances he  should,  and  Dorothy  and  Anne,  with 
a  silent  prayer  for  forgiveness,  filled  again  and 
again  the  glasses  of  the  men  with  the  foamy, 
seductive  stuff,  and  good  cheer  was  being  widely 
disseminated    when     Sallie    Tom  entered    again. 

115 


"  Bobbie." 

She  touched  Dorothy's  dress  in  passing,  and 
began  to  break  some  more  eggs  to  show  the 
strangers  how  it  was  made,  but  Anne  had  them 
now  at  the  piano,  and  song  after  song  she  struck 
up  and  led.  Her  clear  soprano  voice  was 
joined  in  hilariously  by  every  soldier  in  the  room, 
and  even  timidly  by  the  Misses  Rutherfoord  and 
the  Miles  children.  Presently  Uncle  Lias,  sent 
by  Sallie  Tom,  came  in  with  his  old  banjo  and 
began  a  jig,  and  such  an  uproariously  gay  time 
they  were  having  that  they  did  not  hear  the  soft 
click  of  the  door  or  notice  that  Dorothy  was  back 
in  the  room,  her  face  flushed  and  lips  quivering, 
or  that  Mrs.  Tayloe  was  missing.  Sallie  Tom's 
cordial  had  done  its  work  well.  The  men  were 
gloriously  happy  and  magnanimously  inclined  to- 
wards the  whole  Southern  army  much  more  these 
charming  Southern  women,  and  the  good  old 
parson  with  his  two  pair  of  twins.  Anne  caught 
Dorothy's  eye  and  banged  loudt-r  and  louder, 
then  some  one  proposed  the  Virginia  Reel.  Miss 
Trent  took  Anne's  place  at  the  piano,  and  though 

Ii6 


"  Bobbie." 

navigation  was  a  treacherous  thing  for  some  of 
the  boys  in  blue,  still  they  bravely  stood  up  and 
went  through  it  heroically,  making  a  terrible  clat- 
ter with  their  feet  and  hands  to  the  music,  and 
through  all  Anne  and  Dorothy  were  the  wildest, 
gayest  in  the  crowd.  Romping,  noisy  games 
followed  each  other  in  quick  succession,  during 
which  Dorothy  managed  repeatedly  to  slip  by 
one  of  the  windows  and  stealthily  look  out. 
Finally  she  was  satisfied,  and  then  she  declared 
herself  worn  out,  and  the  Rev.  Doctor  Miles, 
with  whom  every  now  and  then  she  had  contrived 
to  catch  a  few  words,  understood  it  was  time  to 
go,  and  the  soldiers  immediately  took  the  hint. 
They  were  gentlemen,  and  by  no  means  inclined 
to  presume  upon  the  privileges  of  war  ;  and  when 
he  asked  them  in  his  nervous,  timid  way  if  it 
would  be  safe  for  him  to  venture  home  with  so 
many  ladies  in  charge,  they  gallantly  offered 
their  services  as  escort,  though  assuring  him  the 
road  was  perfectly  safe  so  far  as  their  men  were 
concerned. 

117 


"  Bobbie." 

"  There  is  not  apt  to  be  much  prying  around 
on  such  a  night  as  this,"  the  Lieutenant  added, 
shivering  a  httle  as  he  went  out  in  the  hall,  "but 
I  know  it  is  one  we  shall  never  forget,"  and  he 
bowed  low  over  the  hand  Mrs.  Tayloe  held  out 
to  him.  "We  have  all  heard  of  Southern  hospi- 
tality, of  course,  but  we  hardly  expected  to  enjoy 
it  under  the  present  condition  of  things.  I  can 
only  assure  you,  madam,  you  will  never  regret 
it."  He  looked  at  Anne  as  he  spoke,  and  held 
out  his  hand  to  her.  "  When  all  this  is  over,"  he 
whispered,  ''  this  beastly  war,  I  mean,  will  you 
scorn  to  know  a  man  who  fought  on  the  other 
side  ?  " 

"I  never  scorn  an  honest  man,"  she  answered, 
"even  if  he  is  a  Yankee  soldier,"  she  added, 
laughing.  "Good-bye."  She  touched  his  hand 
lightly,  and  drew  back  into  the  room.  The 
horses  pawed  the  ground  and  turned  restlessly 
round  and  round.  The  Mileses  and  Rutherfoords 
and  Trents  piled  hastily  in  their  sleighs,  and  only 
the  Sergeant  stood  at  the  door,  telling  Dorothy 

ii8 


"  Bobbie." 

again  and  again  good-bye.  The  eggnog  had 
been  too  much  for  him,  and  his  tone  took  a  senti- 
mental air  as  he  held  her  hand  for  a  second. 

"I  say,"  he  whispered,  "don't  tell  the  Lieu- 
tenant, but  I'm  damned  glad  we  didn't  catch  that 
fellow,  and  if  I  ever  run  across  him  I'll — I'll  be 
damned  if  I'll  know  him  !  Good  bye,  good-bye, 
you  little  Southern  witch,  good-bye." 

At  last  they  were  gone.  The  muffled  sound 
of  their  horses'  hoofs,  together  with  their  laugh- 
ter, could  be  heard  for  a  few  moments  only,  and 
then  came  still,  intense,  impenetrable  silence. 

Dorothy  was  back  in  the  library  for  one  brief 
minute.  "  Keep  the  lights  up,  and  the  house 
just  as  it  is,  until  I  get  back,"  she  said,  hurriedly. 
"Thank  God,  they  got  out  safely,"  she  added, 
turning  to  Mrs.  Tayloe,  and  giving  her  a  swift, 
tender  kiss.  "  Did  anybody  miss  me  ?  I  was 
wild  with  terror  lest  they  would  suspect  some- 
thing, but  I  knew  their  only  chance  was  to  get 
out  during  the  noise  and  romping.  I  shall  tell 
them  good-bye  for  you  all.     No,  no  !     No  one 

"9 


"  Bobbie." 

must  go,"  She  was  hastily  wrapping  herself  up 
as  she  talked,  and  when  Sallie  Tom  appeared  at 
the  door,  heavily  muffled  about  the  head  and 
face,  they  crept  out  together  into  the  bitter,  bitter 
niorht. 

It  was  a  good  half-mile  down  to  the  quarters, 
but  already  they  could  see  through  the  darkness 
a  tiny  light,  and  they  struggled  on  through  the 
snow,  almost  falling  in  a  drift,  then  up  and  on 
again.  Neither  spoke.  The  reaction  was  begin- 
ning to  tell  on  Dorothy,  and  her  strength  was 
tested  to  the  utmost.  Much  was  yet  to  be  done, 
however,  and  she  bit  her  lips  almost  to  the  blood, 
lest  she  should  give  some  sign  of  how  she  suf- 
fered.  The  snow  muffled  the  sound  of  their 
coming,  and  while  Sallie  Tom  knocked  softly  at 
the  door,  Dorothy  leaned  heavily  against  it.  In 
a  moment  it  was  opened,  and  the  men  sprang 
forward  to  catch  her,  as  she  almost  fell  inside. 
"  I'm  all  right,"  she  cried.  "  Shut  the  door  quick, 
You  have  not  a  moment  to  lose.  Are  the  horses 
ready  ?  " 


"  Bobbie." 

Bobbie  took  her  up  in  his  arms,  as  if  she  were 
a  little  child,  and  put  her  in  front  of  the  fire. 
"Where  is  Dr.  Miles?"  he  asked,  hoarsely. 
"  Didn't  you  bring  him  ?  I  have  the  license  here 
in  my  pocket.  We  must  be  married  before  I 
leave  you.  Don't  tell  me  !  " — .  The  look  on 
her  face  stopped  him  ;  and  the  reckless  young 
soldier,  who  had  faced  death  a  hundred  times 
without  a  quiver,  turned  away,  lest  she  should 
see  the  bitter  pain  of  this  defeat.  The  two  older 
men  stood  aside  ;  this  was  too  sacred  even  for 
them.  Sallie  Tom  was  outside,  helping  Peter 
Black  with  the  horses,  and  only  the  sputtering  of 
the  logs  broke  the  sorrowful  stillness  that  fell 
upon  them  all.  Presently  Bobbie  stooped  over 
and  kissed  her.  "  I  know  all  about  it.  We  have 
been  outwitted  to-night ;  but  I  swear  here,  in  the 
presence  of  you  all,  that,  if  it  is  not  possible  be- 
fore, then  on  next  Christmas  night  nothing  but 
Almighty  God  himself  shall  keep  me  from  claim- 
ing my  wife  !  I  shall  keep  this  " — and  he  touched 
the  license  in  his  pocket — "whenever  I  come,  will 

Q  121 


"  Bobbie." 

you  be  ready  ?  "  She  nodded  without  speaking, 
and  silently  they  each  bent  and  kissed  her  good- 
bye, and  through  the  stillness  she  heard  the 
muffled  sounds  of  their  horses'  hoofs  upon  the 
snow,  and  upon  her  heart  lay  the  despair  of  utter 
desolation. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

HE  days  that  followed  were  very 
dreary  ones.  Little  by  little  the 
resources  gave  out,  and  actual, 
positive  hunger  began  to  be  felt  on 
every  side.  "White  Point"  reflected  the  life  of 
the  county  ;  and  while  much  of  the  real  condition 
of  things  was  kept  from  Mrs.  Tayloe,  lest  her 
sorrowing  heart  could  not  bear  the  strain  upon 
it,  yet  even  she  knew  how  necessary  it  was  to 
count  every  mouthful  eaten.  Anne  and  Dorothy 
kept  up  the  spirits  of  the  people  until  in  August, 
when  the  terrible  sorrow  came,  and  Dorothy  sat 
like  one  stunned  and  crushed  by  its  force.  They 
brought  his  body  home  ;  and  not  until  she  knelt 
over  it  and  saw  the  almost  rapturous  smile  upon 
his  face  did  she  realize  that  to  grieve  would  be 
selfish  indeed  ;  that  he  was  at  last  "at  home" — at 
last  "  with  her  !  "     The  shock  of  her  father's  death 

123 


"  Bobbie." 

for  a  while  broke  almost  her  brave  spirit.  It  was 
a  glorious  death,  Bobbie  wrote  her.  It  grieved 
him  beyond  words  of  telling  that  he  could  not  be 
with  her  in  her  sorrow,  but  more  than  ever  was 
he  needed,  and  not  for  even  one  single  day  could 
he  get  leave. 

After  they  buried  him,  right  next  to  her  mother, 
the  old  routine  of  life  became  almost  unendurable. 
She  could  not  leave  "White  Point,"  her  duty 
kept  her  there,  and  yet  how  she  longed  for 
work — hard,  continuous,  ceaseless  work — that 
she  might  not  think.  Anne's  cheerful,  buoyant 
nature  was  a  helpful  tonic,  and  Dorothy  struggled 
hard  to  be  brave.  Always  Anne  had  something 
funny  to  tell  of  that  "good-looking  Lieutenant," 
with  whose  movements,  in  some  mysterious  way, 
she  seemed  to  keep  well  posted  ;  and  she  made 
Dorothy  take  hold  of  Hfe  again,  and  in  doing  for 
others,  her  own  pain  became  a  little  dulled. 

The  weeks  dragged  into  months,  and  still 
Bobbie  had  never  gotten  back.  Way  off  in  a 
distant  part  of  the  country  he  had  been  in  active 

124 


"  Bobbie." 

service,  and  his  name  had  become  a  familiar  one 
in  the  army,  and  they  loved  him  there  as  they 
had  loved  him  in  his  home  as  a  boy,  and  over  the 
camp-fires  at  night  many  a  tale  was  told  of  his 
daringf  and  skill  as  a  soldier,  and  his  orentle  touch 
as  a  nurse  when  the  day  was  done. 

Ten  days  had  gone  by  and  no  sign  or  word 
had  Dorothy  received,  and  Christmas-eve  had 
come  again.  To  no  one  had  she  ever  spoken  of 
the  vow  made  down  in  Sallie  Tom's  cabin  a  year 
ago,  but  all  through  the  dreary  days  she  had 
cherished  it  in  her  heart.  Anne  Carter  was  to 
spend  the  holidays  at  "White  Point,"  and  in 
obedience  to  her,  and  with  the  secret  hope  that 
he  would  yet  come,  she  had  helped  with  the  old- 
time  decorations  of  Christmas  green.  Her  sorrow 
must  not  make  the  others  sad,  she  thought,  and 
with  brave  unselfishness  she  tried  hard  to  forget 
herself  in  them.  For  the  first  time  since  the 
Christmas  a  year  ago,  when  they  had  all  been 
home,  she  made  Uncle  Lias  make  a  big  fire  in 
the    library.     The    dining-room  was    also   bright 

125 


"  Bobbie." 

with  a  cheery  glow,  and  she  walked  from  first  one 
window  to  the  other  watching  the  scene  outside. 
The  snow  lay  cold  and  deep  and  white,  but  the 
night  was  beautifully  clear.  The  moon  was  shin- 
ing almost  magically  upon  the  frozen  earth, 
touching  the  trees  with  mystic  splendor  in  their 
crystal  decorations,  and  all  the  air  was  still,  so 
still  that  the  faintest  echo  could  be  heard. 

The  time  dragged  on  and  still  no  sign  came, 
or  was  given  by  Dorothy  of  what  was  so  intensely 
filling  her  heart.  Mrs.  Tayloe  sat  in  her  accus- 
tomed place  by  the  fire,  but  the  weary  hands 
failed  to  knit  so  rapidly  as  of  old,  and  the  sad, 
strained  look  upon  her  face  told  better  than 
words  of  that  of  which  she  could  not  speak. 

Anne  worked  hard  to  keep  up  the  spirit  of 
the  season,  and  when  to  their  intense  surprise 
they  heard  the  sound  of  bells  outside  and  saw 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Miles  and  family  drive  up,  all  felt  a 
great  relief.  ''  I've  come  to  bring  good  luck  to 
you,"  he  said,  shaking  hands  with  Dorothy  in  his 
understanding,    sympathetic    way.      "  There's   no 

126 


"  Bobbie." 

telling  when  these  boys  will  turn  up,"  he  added, 
trying  to  speak  cheerfully,  "  so  I  thought  I  would 
come  over  and  be  on  hand  in  case  I  was  needed," 
and  the  dear  old  parson  patted  her  hands  ten- 
derly and  softly.  Everybody  tried  to  be  pleasant 
and  look  natural  and  easy,  but  it  was  a  dismal 
failure,  and  when  the  clock  struck  ten  Dorothy 
could  stand  it  no  longer.  She  slipped  out  on  the 
long  veranda  at  the  back  of  the  house,  and  leaned 
wearily  upon  one  of  its  tall,  straight  columns. 
Down-stairs  in  the  servants'  room  Uncle  Lias 
was  playing  softly  on  his  old  violin.  The  last 
notes  of  the  ''  Suwannee  River"  died  away  upon 
the  air,  and  then  he  began,  low  and  soft  and  sad, 
the  old,  sweet  song  that  almost  broke  her  heart, 
"Home,  Home,  Home,  Sweet  Home,"  quivered 
out  upon  the  still  frosty  air,  and  such  a  longing 
for  the  old  life  that  was  gone,  such  a  craving  for 
the  one  she  loved  so  well,  came  over  her,  that 
she  slipped  down  in  the  snow,  and  leaning  against 
the  railing  buried  her  face  in  her  hands,  and 
prayed  Him  who  alone  could  understand,  to  give 

127 


"  Bobbie." 

back  her  home  to  her — for  Bobbie  was  her  home, 
her  life,  her  all.  She  felt  something  fall  and 
touch  her  dress,  and  looked  up  hastily ;  no  sound 
broke  the  air — only  that  longing  cry,  "  Home, 
Home,  Home,  Sweet  Home,"  yet  she  strained 
her  eyes  in  the  darkness  ;  surely  that  was  a 
shadow  moving  under  the  trees — a  little  bullet 
fell  at  her  feet — she  jumped  up  hurriedly  and  in 
a  flash  she  knew.  Down  through  the  snow  she 
fled,  and  out  upon  the  air  sounded  softer  and 
fainter :  "  Be  it  ever  so  humble,  there's  no  place 
like  home."  She  reached  the  tree  and  staggered, 
and  Bobbie  caught  her — caught  her  and  held  her 
close.  "I  swore  I'd  come  if  alive,"  he  said, 
brokenly,  "  and  I'm  here,  though  at  the  last 
minute  I  came  near  missing  it.  Is  it  all  right  at 
the  house?"  He  leaned  ao-ainst  the  tree 
through  utter  weakness,  and  Dorothy  could  only 
nod  affirmatively  to  his  question — the  sudden  joy 
had  checked  the  power  of  speech.  "  I've  brought 
some  one  with  me  I  didn't  intend,"  Bobbie  went 
on.     "We    came  near   putting  an    end  to   each 

128 


"  Bobbie." 

other,  but  stopped  in  time."  He  nodded  at  a 
man  standing  back  in  the  shadow,  and  the  latter 
came  forward  and  held  his  cap  in  his  hand. 

"I  know  it  is  very  presumptuous,"  he  said, 
looking  straight  in  Dorothy's  face,  "but  I  was 
bound  to  see  that  ghost  again,  and  I  risked  it." 

In  sheer  excess  of  happiness  she  held  out  her 
hands.  "It's  the  Lieutenant,"  she  cried  ;  "  don't 
you  know  it's  the  one  who  wanted  you  last  year — 
Oh,  Bobbie  !    Bobbie  !  " 


There  was  a  wedding  after  all — the  queerest, 
strangest,  happiest  wedding  old  Rockland  county 
ever  had  recorded  in  its  books.  Bobbie  was 
faint  and  weak  from  lack  of  food  and  rest,  and 
like  some  stranofe  wonder  that  had  come  into 
their  midst,  they  hovered  over  and  waited  on  him 
while  he  told  of  how  for  forty-eight  hours  he  had 
ridden  night  and  day  to  reach  there  in  time. 
"Father  is  on  the  way,"  he  went  on,  while  Sallie 
Tom  held  out  "jis  a  little  drap  of  suppin  warm 

129 


'*  Bobbie." 

for  him."  "  I  left  him  down  by  the  old  mill.  He 
and  Peter  Black  stopped  for  a  few  minutes  to 
attend  to  something.  It  was  after  I  left  father 
that  I  met  this  gendeman,"  and  he  nodded  to- 
ward the  Lieutenant,  "and  it's  lucky  we're  both 
not  out  on  the  road.  Both  fired  and  missed,  and 
something  made  me  ask  where  he  was  going  and 
who  he  was  (Bobbie's  voice  got  a  little  husky), 
and  I  thought  I'd  better  not  fire  again.  And  now 
when  father  comes  you  will  marry  me,  Dorothy  ?  " 
He  asked  the  quesdon  before  them  all,  looking 
steadfastly  In  her  face,  while  he  took  the  license 
out  of  his  pocket  and  laid  it  on  the  table.  "It 
came  near  being  burnt  up  once,"  he  said,  laugh- 
ing. "  It  was  a  close  call,  but  I  told  you  this 
would  save  me,"  and  he  held  up  the  litde  Testa- 
ment, which  was  deeply  dented  in  the  middle. 
"  The  ball  glanced  off,  and  I  wasn't  hurt.  Now, 
mother,  what  are  you  crying  for  ?  " 

When  the  big  master  came  Sallie  Tom  got  to 
work.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Miles  couldn't  stay  all 
night,  but  not  undl    Christmas-Day  would  they 

130 


''  Bobbie." 

be  married.  When  the  clock  struck  twelve  the 
ceremony  would  take  place,  and  poor  Uncle  Lias 
couldn't  make  the  fires  quick  enough  in  the  big 
parlors,  and  Peter  Black  was  called  here  and 
there,  just  as  he  had  been  a  year  ago. 

"  Bobbie  must  wear  his  uniform."  Dorothy 
said.  She  could  marry  him  in  nothing  whose 
decorations  would  make  her  half  so  proud  as 
would  the  torn  and  battered,  the  faded  and  worn 
old  suit  which  told  of  honorable  service.  She 
whispered  something  to  Bobbie,  and  the  latter 
sprang  to  his  feet.  Anne  and  the  Lieutenant 
were  freezing  away  off  in  one  of  the  big  window 
seats,  unconscious  that  they  were  cold,  and 
evidently  in  a  hot  discussion.  Bobbie  walked 
over  and  saluted.  "I  believe  you  are  to  be 
Dorothy's  bridesmaid,  Anne,"  he  said,  looking 
at  her  provokingly  and  in  a  way  she  didn't  under- 
stand. 

"Of  course  I  am,"  she  answered,  slipping  off 
the  seat,  "and  I've  got  to  wear  just  what  I  have 
on.     To  my  dying  day  it  will  be  a  mortification. 

131 


"  Bobbie." 

It's  the  only  decent  gown  I've  got,  and  all  on  ac- 
count of  this  man  and  his  friends,"  and  she 
turned  with  a  merry  laugh  to  the  Lieutemant, 
now  standing  and  slightly  leaning  against  the 
window. 

"I  have  come  to  ask  him  a  favor,"  answered 
Bobbie,  turning  toward  him  also.  "  Will  you  do 
me  the  honor  to  be  my  best  man,  Lieutenant 
Hardwicke?"  and  he  held  out  his  hand  to  the 
man  in  blue. 

The  other  grasped  it  warmly.  ''Tell  them 
who  I  am,  for  God's  sake,  Bobbie.  I  am  proud 
to  be  a  'Yankee soldier,'  as  she  calls  me,  but  tell 
them  who  else  I  am."  Anne  had  dropped  into  a 
chair,  and  Bobbie  laughed  at  her  look  of  blank 
astonishment. 

"This  is  Dick  Hardwicke,  of  Boston,  Anne. 
He  graduated  two  terms  before  I,  and  though 
he  was  older  and  we  were  not  in  the  same 
classes,  we  were  always  good  friends  while  at 
college. " 


132 


''  Bobbie." 

"And  did  you  come  to  search  for  your  college 
friend  as  you  would  for  a  thief? "  she  cried,  her 
voice  ringing  with  unutterable  scorn,  as  she  rose 
to  her  feet. 

"Not  a  bit  of  it,"  he  answered,  fearlessly. 
"In  open  fight  we  would  have  had  to  take  the 
chances  of  this  beastly  war ,  but  that  the  Robert 
F.  Taylor,  as  our  order  read,  was  our  Bobbie 
Tayloe,  I  no  more  suspected  than  you  did  my 
identity.  Do  you  believe  me?"  She  looked  at 
him  a  moment  searchingly. 

"Yes,"  she  answered,  after  a  long  pause. 
"  I  hate  to  do  it — but  I'm  bound  to." 


It  was  just  after  the  clock  struck  the  birth  of 
another  Christmas-Day  that  Bobbie  led  his  bride 
into  the  beautiful  parlors,  and  while  they  plighted 
their  troth  with  only  those  around  who  knew  and 
loved  them  most.  Uncle  Lias  outside  the  door 
played  softly  on  his  old  violin  the  sweet  old 
Christmas    carol    of    "Peace    on    Earth— Good 

133 


"  Bobbie." 

Will  to  Men,"  and  after  it  was  over  the  Blue 
and  the  Grey  shook  hands  together,  to  the 
intense  and  unqualified  disgust  of  loyal  old 
Sallie  Tom. 


134 


Uncle  Lias  outside  the  door  played  .softly  on  his  old  violin. 
(See  page  133) 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 

Wilmer 
125 


